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HISTORY 


OF 


CASS    COUNTY, 


ILLINOIS. 


EDITED    BY    WILLIAM    HENRY    PERRIN. 


I  L  It  a  3  T^^  TED. 


CHICAGO: 

O.  h.  BASKIN  &  CO.,  HISTORICAL  PUBLISHERS,  LAKESIDE  BUILDING. 

1882. 


■"•"^^^^J    CHICAGO  LEQAL  NEW9  00.,   PRINTERS.      «"*t^<-«»' 


o 


7// A 


PEEFACE. 


A  FTER  several  months  of  laborious  research  and  persistent  toil,  the  history  of  Cass 
-^-*-  County  is  completed,  and  it  is  our  hope  and  belief  that  no  subject  of  general  importance 
or  interest  has  been  overlooked  or  omitted,  and  even  minor  facts,  when  of  sufficient  note  to  be 
worthy  of  record,  have  been  faithfully  chronicled.  In  short,  where  protracted  investigation 
promised  results  commensurate  with  the  undertaking,  matters  not  only  of  undoubted  record 
but  legendary  lore,  have  been  brought  into  requisition.  We  are  well  aware  of  the  fact  that  it 
is  next  to  impossible  to  furnish  a  perfect  history  from  the  meager  resources  at  the  command 
of  the  historian  under  ordinary  circumstances,  but  claim  to  have  prepared  a  work  fully  up  to 
the  standard  of  our  engagements.     Through  the  courtesy  and  assistance  generously  afforded 

O  by  the  residents  of  Cass,  we  have  been  enabled  to  trace  out  and  put  into  systematic  shape  the 

Ln  greater  portions  of  the  events  that  have  transpired  in  the  county,  up  to  the  present  time,  and 

I'  wo  feel  assured  that  all  thoughtful  persons  interested  in  the  matter  will  recognize  and  appre- 

5^  ciate  the  importance  of  the  work  and  its  permanent  value. 

gi  A  dry  statement  of  facts  has  been  avoided,  so  far  as  it  was  possible  to  do  so,  and  anecdote 

^  and  incident  has  been  interwoven  with  plain  recital  and  statistics,  thereby  forming  a  narrative 

C"  at  once  instructive  and  entertaining. 

To  those  who  have  assisted  our  corps  of  writers  in  gathering  material,  or  who  have  fur- 
nished, direct,  matter  incorporated  in  the  work,  our  thanks  are  due,  and  to  Hon.  J.  Henry 
Shaw  and  Judge  Jno.  A.  Arenz,  of  Beardstown,  we  acknowledge  special  indebtedness. 

^  Septembee,  1882.  THE  PUBLISHERS. 

7 


214:266 


CONTENTS. 


PABT  I. 

Page. 

CHAPTER  I.— Cass  County— Early  Notes  on  Illinois— The 
French  Travelers  and  Explorers  — The  Indians- 
Wars  of  the  Iroquois  and  Kiekapoos— Legend  of 
Monsoela  —  Different  Owners  of  Illinois— Beards- 
town  Mound — Purchase  of  the  Country  from  the  In- 
dians—Miscellaneous,  etc - 11 

CHAPIER  II.— Settlements  of  the  Country  Not  Included 
in  Cass  County— Some  of  the  Pioneers  and  Where 
Thpy  Settled— The  Sangamo  Country— Its  Fertility 
—Prairie,  Schooners  — First  Land  Entry— Beard's 
Ferry— Beard  &  Marsh's  Entry  of  Land— First  Set- 
tlers of  Beardstown— Deed  of  Defeasance — Going  to 
Egypt  for  Corn— Arrival  of  Other  Settlers— The  En- 
trj'of  Land,  etc 18 

CHAPTER  I.— Increase  of  Population— The  Deep  Snow 
of  1830— The  Black  Hawk  War— Rendezvous  of  Sol- 
diers at  Beardstown — Cause  of  Dr.  Chandler's  Settle- 
ment— Meeting  Between  Him  and  Abraham  Lincoln 
—Business  of  Beardstown  in  1834— The  Early  Log 
Cabins— Yankees  and  Yankee  Tricks— Com  Bread, 
etc 25 

CHAPTER  IV.— Organization  of  Cass  County— The  Con- 
vention at  Rushville — Legislative  Act  Creating  the 
County— Other  Acts— First  Election  for  Officers — 
The  Numberof  Voters— An  Incident  of  a  Wolf— The 
Cold  Day  of  1837— Location  of  the  County  Seat- 
Scarcity  of  Money — The  County  Machinery  Put  in 
Motion- The  Courts— Trouble  from  Horse  Thieves — 
Eugene  Honorius— The  Census,  etc 36 

CHAPTER  v.— Fertile  Lands  of  Cass— Its  Geological  For- 
mations— Coal  Measures — Different  Deposits — Coal 
— Building  Stone — Legislative  Representatives  from 
Cass  County — Principal  County  Oflicers  Since  For- 
mation—Illinois River  Items,  etc 52 

CHAPTER  VI.— Agriculture  of  Cass  County— Farming  in 
the  Primitive  Times— Improved  Farm  Implements 
—Agricultural  Fairs  and  Associations— Lists  of  Offi- 
cers—Cass  County  Park  Association- Its  Organiza- 
tion, etc.— Fine  Stock  of  the  County— Short  Horn 
Herds,  etc.— The  Railroads,  etc 66 

CHAPTER  VII.— Virginia  Precinct— Description,  Bound- 
aries and  Topography— Western  Pioneer  Life— Set- 
tlement of  the  Precinct  by  White  People— Character 
of  the  Pioneers— Their  Trials,  Troubles  and  Hard- 
ships—Early Improvements  and  Industries— Roads, 
Bridges,    etc.— Schools— The  First  s'chool-houses— 


> 


Early  Teachers— Present  Educational  Facilities- 
Churches  and  Preachers— Old  Shiloh  Church— Mis- 
cellaneous, etc "^2 

CHAPTER  VIII.— City  of  Virginia— Its  Birth,  Location 
and  Growth— Sale  of  Lots,  and  Additions  to  the 
Town— Dr.  Hall,  Founder  of  Virginia— First  House 
and  Store— Public  Square  and  Court  House— Busi- 
ness in  the  West  End— The  Present  Business  Center 
—Hotels,  Mills,  etc.— Doctors  and  Lawyers— Bank- 
ing Business — Incorporation  of  the  City — Municipal 
Offices— Summary,  etc '?9 

CHAPTER  IX.— Virginia— Its  Growth  and  Develop- 
ment as  a  City— The  Era  of  Railroads— Project  of 
Building  the  Illinois  River  Railroad— The  Ohio  and 
Mississippi,  etc.- Newspapers  of  Virginia- First 
Paper  Established  in  the  Town— The  Present  City 
Press— Court  Houses  and  the  County  Seat  Question 
—The  Jail— Miscellaneous,  etc 91 

CHAPTER  X.  —  Virginia  —  Religious  History  —  First 
Churches  and  Preachers— The  Different  Denomina- 
tions and  Their  Temples  of  Worship  —  Sunday 
Schools,  etc.— Educational— The  Early  Schools  of 
Virginia— Pioneer  Teachers— The  Public  Schools— 
C.  P.  College— War  History— Secret  and  Benevolent 
Institutions,  etc 57 

CHAPTER  XI.— Beardstown— City  and  Precinct— Laying 
OutoftheTown— Its  Location— Organization— First 
Officers— The  County  Seat  Question— Churches — 
Schools— The  Press— Railroads— The  Professions- 
Early  Settlers— Business  Interests— War  Record, 
etc 108 

CHAPTER  XII.— Chandlerville  Precinct— Topograph- 
ical Features— Pioneer  Times— Early  Families — 
Educational — Societies— Mills— Village  of  Chand- 
lerville..   122 

CHAPTER  XIII.— Ashland  Precinct— Physical  Features 
—Early  Settlers  —  Pioneer  Times  —  Schools  and 
Churches— The  Village  of  Ashland 133 

CHAPTER  XIV.— Arenzville  Precinct— Its  Early  History 
—The  Three  Mile  Territory— Early  Residence  of  the 
Settlers— Emigrants  from  Germany— School-houses 
and  Churches  in  the  School  Districts— The  Village 
of  Arenz\'ille— First  Lots  Surveyed— Business  of  the 
Town— Churches  and  School-houses  in  the  Villages 
— Some  of  the  Prominent  Men  of  the  Time— Francis 
Arenz,  John  L  Cire,  Dr.  George  Engelbach,  and 
Others— Miscellaneous,  etc 143 

CHAPTER  XV.— Princeton  Precinct— General  Descrip- 
tion—Boundaries. Topography  and  Surface  Feat- 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
nres— The  Early  Settlement^Pioneer  Hardships- 
First  MUl,  and  other  Improvements— Walnut  Grove 
School-house  —  Present  Schools—  Churches  —  Old 
Princeton,  and  its  Business  Enterprise— Little  In- 
dian Village 155 

CHAPTER  XVI.— Kichmond  Precinct— Physical  Features 
—Indians— Pioneer  Times— Early  Settlers— Schools, 
Churches  and  Stores 160 

CHAPTER  XVII— Philadelphia Precinct^Descriptive— 
Topography  and  Physical  Features— Organization 
as  a  Precinct— The  Settlement  of  the  Whites— Their 
Life  on  the  Frontier— Pioneer  Improvements — 
Churches,  Schools,  etc.— Philadelphia  and  Lan- 
caster—A Lost  City,  etc 166 

CHAPTER  XVIII.— Monroe  Precinct  —  Description  — 
Physical  Features — Settlement  and  Pioneer  Times — 
jTowth  and  Improvement — Churches,  Schools, 
etc 170 

CHAPTER  XIX.— Oregon  Precinct- Description  and 
Settlement— Pioneer  Life — Indiana — Churches  and 
Schools 178 

CHAPTER  XX.— Hickory  Precinct— Physical  Features— 
Fii-st  Settlement  and  Subsequent  Growth— Progress 
of  Industries  and  Improvements — Churches  and 
Schools 183 

PART  n. 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

Virginia— City  and  Precinct 193 

Beardstowu— City  and  Precinct 227 


Page. 

Chandlerville  Precinct 281 

Ashland  Precinct 303 

ArenzviUe  Precinct 313 

Indian  Creek  Precinct i. 324 

Princeton  Precinct 327 

Richmond  Precinct 330 

Philadelphia  Precinct 337 

Monroe  Precinct 340 

Oregon  Precinct 347 

Hickory  Precinct 355 

PORTRAITS. 

Arenz,  J.  A 45 

Boone,  N.  H 279 

Brauer,  Frederick 135 

Campbell,  William 207 

Carr,  David 189 

Chandler,  Charles 63 

Clre,  L.  J 315 

Crum,  James 133 

Decker,  John 117 

Engelbach,  Herman 243 

Leeper,  W.  D 3.51 

Linn,  William 333 

Lohmann,  Frank 261 

NoUsch,  Gottlieb 297 

Petefish,  s.  H ."■ 81 

Shaw,  J.  Henry 27 

Sklles,  Ignatius 99 

Tureman,  J.  H 171 

Wagner,  David 225 


g5fert4^^ 


^^HULi 


PAKT  I. 


HISTORY 


OF 


C^SS    COUNTY 


CHAPTER  I. 

CASS  COUNTY*— EARLY  NOTES  ON  ILLINOIS— THE  FRENCH  TRAVELERS  AND  EXPLORERS 
THE  INDIANS—WARS  OF  THE  IROQUOIS  AND  KICKAPOOS— LEGEND  OF  MON- 
SOELA— DIFFERENT  OWNERS  OF  ILLINOIS— BEARDSTOWN  MOUND 
—PURCHASE  OF  THE  COUNTRY  FROM  THE  INDIANS- 
MISCELLANEOUS,  ETC. 

ILLINOIS  dates  its  white  settlements  among 
the  first  in  North  America.     Four  years 
prior  to  the  settlement  of  Plymouth,  Le  Baron 


had  explored  Upper  Canada,  and  twenty 
years  later  the  hardy  and  ambitious  French 
traders  and  voyageurs  and  zealous  mission- 
aries had  erected  trading-  posts  and  missions 
along  the  rivers  and  upon  the  lake  shores, 
now  within  the  jurisdiction  of  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin. 

At  that  period  the  surface  of  Illinois  was 
much  lower,  geologically  considered,  than  it 
is  at  the  present  time.  Since  its  creation, 
the  thin  crust  of  the  earth  has  been  under- 
going slow  mutations,  breathing,  as  it  were, 
by  centuries,  elevating  and  depressing  in  the 
lapse  of  ages  under  the  influence  of  its 
mighty  lungs  of  fire,  sinking  slowly  and  im- 
perceptibly beneath  their  former  level  con- 
tinents and  islands,  and  as  gradually  raising 
others  above  the  waste  of  waters. 

While    the    countries    bordering  upon   the 

*  The  Chapters  on  the  County  at  large  are  written  for  this 
work  by  Hon  J.  Hen  y  Shaw,  of  teardstown. 


Levantine  seas  have  been  gradually  en- 
croached upon  by  the  water,  there  has  been  a 
corresponding  rise  in  the  earth's  surface  here. 
Two  hundred  years  ago  the  white  settlers 
of  Illinois  navigated  the  Mississippi  and  Illi- 
nois rivers  to  the  great  northern  lakes. 
French  pirogues  and  Indian  canoes  found  no 
difficulty  in  passing  through  the  portages  of 
the  North  to  Hudson's  B  ly.  The  routes  from 
the  Mississippi  river — up  the  Wisconsin  and 
down  the  Fox  to  Lake  Michigan ;  and  uj>  the 
Illinois  or  "River  of  the  Mianiis,"  as  it  was 
then  called,  to  ('hicago  river;  or  up  the  Kan- 
kakee and  down  the  St.  .loseph — were  well 
known  and  navigated.  Indeed,  but  a  few 
centuries  since,  these  rivers  were  the  south- 
ern outlets  for  the  waters  of  the  great  lakes, 
and  the  Illinois  penitentiary,  near  Joliet,  now 
stands  upon  a  ledge  of  rocks  over  which  a 
great  river  once  flowed  in  rapids  similar  to 
those  of  the  Upper  Mississippi. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  at  that 
point  now  known  as  Tower  Rock,  this  great 
river  was  dammed  up  by  a  wall  of  rock,  over 


12 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


which  it  fell  one  hundred  feet,  forming  a 
cataract  of  such  volume  and  height  as  to  rival 
even  Niagara.  But  the  continual  wearing 
power  of  the  water,  aided  materially  by  earth- 
quakes, which  have  left  their  sign  in  the  vicin- 
ity, finally  opened  the  present  channel  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  gave  an  outlet  to  the  ocean  of 
waters  that  lay  stagnating  in  the  swamps, 
now  prairies,  above,  and  causing  the  present 
agricultural  productiveness  of  the  ancient  beds 
of  these  great  waters. 

Two  hundred  years  ago  Northern  and 
Central  Illinois  was  inhabited  by  two  power- 
ful nations  of  liidians,  the  Illinois  and  the 
Miainis.  The  latter  occupied  the  northern 
part  of  the  present  State  and  part  of  Wiscon- 
sin, and  their  chief  town  was  upon  the  present 
site  of  Chicago. 

The  Illinois  tribe  occupied  the  country 
l)ordoring  upon  the  Illinois  river,  called  by 
the  French  the  "  River  Seignelay, "  and  all  the 
country  between  that  and  the  "  River  Col- 
bert," or  Mississippi. 

The  principal  tribe  of  the  Illinois  were  the 
Muscootens,  and  their  town  was  upon  the 
present  site  of  Beardstown,  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  Muscooten  Bay, 
and  was  called  by  the  French  the  "  Mound 
Village."  The  Peorias,  another  of  the  Illi- 
nois tribes,  generally  occupied  that  portion  of 
the  country  between  the  rivers,  having  their 
town  on  the  west  l).ink  of  the  Illinois  river, 
four  miles  above  the  Muscooten  village,  upon 
the  bluffs  back  of  the  present  town  of  Fred- 
erick. The  present  site  of  Beardstown  was 
at  that  time  an  island,  surrounded  on  the 
north,  east  and  south  by  almost  impassable 
swamps,  containing  dangerous  quicksands 
and  quaking  bogs,  and  which  could  be  cross- 
ed only  in  canoes,  or  by  Indians  jumping 
from  hillock  to  hillock  of  the  turf  gras-j  with 
which  these  swamps  were  interspersed,  and  on 
the  west  by  the  Seignelay  or  Illinois  River. 
The    Indian  town  of  the  Muscootens  was  a 


beautiful  place.  It  was  built  upon  a  series  of 
mounds,  covered  with  grass,  and  partially 
shaded  by  tall  trees,  which  stood  like  sentinels 
upon  the  hills,  or  ornamental  trees  upon  a 
lawn,  so  scattered  as  not  to  obstruct  the  view 
of  the  whole  town  from  the  river.  The  island 
had  evidently  been  selected,  not  only  on  ac- 
count of  its  natural  beauty,  but  for  its  easy 
defense  and  safety  from  enemies. 

By  two  bends  in  the  river,  forming  two  ob- 
tuse angles,  the  allied  villages  of  the  Peorias 
and  the  Muscootens  stood  at  the  two  elbows, 
in  plain  sight  of  each  other,  the  i)road  river 
foi-niing  a  straight  sheet  of  water  between, 
while  north  of  the  Mound  Village,  and  in 
front  of  the  Peorias,  spread  the  wide  and 
glassy  surface  of  Muscooten  Bay,  separated 
from  the  river  by  a  narrow  peninsula.  Back 
of  the  swamp  which  protected  the  rear  of  the 
town,  was  a  wide  belt  of  rich  prairie  bottom 
land,  and  beyond,  six  miles,  loomed  up  the 
Sangamon  Bluffs,  looking  like  miniature 
Andes  in  the  distance,  between  wliicli  and  the 
island,  in  the  day  time,  all  approaching  foes 
could  be  discerned. 

This  island  town  was  a  favorite  resting 
place  with  the  weary  voyageurs  and  devout 
missionaries;  a  large  cross  was  erected  here, 
and  friendly  relations  established  between  the 
"children  of  the  forest"  and  the  white  men. 
This  favoritism  on  the  part  of  the  French 
towards  the  Illinois  Indians,  excited  the  jeal- 
ousy of  the  Mianiis,  and  they  determined 
upon  revenge.  In  vain  did  the  missionaries 
try  to  prevent  animosities.  The  Miamis  in- 
vaded the  country  of  the  Illinois,  and  took 
some  prisoners. 

At  this  time  the  Chevalier  La  Salle,  who 
had  built  a  fort  called  Creve  Cceur,  or  the 
Broken  Heart,  where  the  present  city  of 
Peoria  now  stands,  in  order  to  prevent  further 
hostilities,  made  a  journey  alone  down  the  riv- 
er to  the  Muscooten  Village,  but  his  efforts 
were  without  avail,  and  the  war  continued. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


13 


The  Muscootens  believed  that  La  Salle  was 
acting  as  a  spy  for  the  Iroquois,  whose  chief 
town  was  then  where  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  now  is, 
and  who  were  the  most  powerful  Indian  nation 
upon  the  continent.  This  impression  seemed  to 
be  confirmed  when  it  became  known  to  them 
that  the  Iroquois  and  Miamis  had  formed  an 
alliance  for  the  purpose  of  exterminating  them. 

Many  battles  were  fought  between  these 
hostile  nations,  but,  by  the  superior  numbers 
of  their  enemies,  the  Illinois  were  worsted  and 
liesieged  in  their  towns.  The  Peorias  forti- 
fied themselves  with  earthworks  upon  the 
l)!uffs  at  their  village,  and  passed  men  down 
the  river  in  canoes,  as  necessity  required,  to 
th3  Mound  Village,  or  received  help  from 
there,  the  river  being  protected  from  tl'.e 
arrows  of  the  enemy  by  marshy  ground  on 
one  side  and  the  bay  on  the  other,  which  for- 
bade their  near  approach. 

The  Muscootens  were  beseiged  in  their 
island  town.  Occasionally  they  were  assailed 
l)y  parties  of  their  enemies,  who,  more  coura- 
geous than  their  fellows,  crossed  the  swamps 
in  the  night,  on  the  grassy  hillocks,  with  the 
help  of  poles.  On  these  occasions  fierce  bat- 
tles were  fought,  and  none  of  the  daring  as- 
sailants survived  to  recross  those  trembling 
hillocks.  At  each  defeat  the  Miamies  and 
Iroquois  became  more  enraged.  In  the  night 
time,  when  out  of  danger  from  arrows,  the 
allied  Indians  cut  grass  and  smxil  trees,  and 
gathered  floating  wood,  and  built  a  causeway 
across  a  part  of  the  swamp.  When  it  was 
completed,  with  the  aid  of  canoes  disguised 
by  branches  of  trees,  in  the  night  time,  they 
rushed  upon  the  island,  and  for  several  days 
the  battle  raged  fierce. y.  There  was  no 
quarter  given  or  asked.  Death  was  dealt  by 
uns])aring  hands  on  both  sides.  They  had 
been  rendered  doubly  savage  by  hunger  and 
delay.  Their  revenge  had  long  been  at 
usury,  and  they  were  now  satisfying  principal 
and  interest. 


The  battle  at  intervals  temporarily  sub- 
sided, but  only  when  the  combatants  became 
exhausted,  and  was  resumed  when  rest 
brought  returnitig  strength.  Those  who  from 
fatigue  were  unable  to  rise,  were  scalped  and 
tomahawked,  entering  from  the  dreamland  of 
life  to  the  dreamland  of  death. 

At  length,  exhausted  and  overwhelmed  by 
superior  numbers,  the  Muscootens  began  to 
fall  back  towards  the  river,  when  with  yells 
of  victory  their  allied  enemies  rushed  upon 
them,  and  with  tomahawks  and  scalping 
knives  ended  the  battle.  A  few  of  the  un- 
fortunate Muscootens  swam  the  river,  and 
concealed  themselves  until  night  in  the  high 
swamp  grass  beyond,  and  a  small  number  of 
men,  women  and  children  fled  in  canoes  to 
the  village  of  the  Peorias,  and  some  were 
taken  prisoners. 

The  battle  being  over,  then  came  the 
mourning  for  the  slain.  Funeral  rites,  in 
which  the  missionaries  took  part,  were  per- 
formed, and  in  the  great  mound  on  tiie  bank 
of  the  river,  which  had  been  raised  centuries 
before  by  a  long  forgotten  race,  they  buried 
the  slain  warriors  with  their  bows,  arrows  and 
tomahawks,  together  with  the  silver  and  Hint 
crosses  of  the  missionaries. 

After  these  ceremonies  were  concluded, 
the  Iroquois  returned  to  their  own  country. 
The  Miamis,  with  their  prisoners,  encamped 
upon  the  present  site  of  Chandlerville,  where 
game  was  plenty,  and  attended  to  their  sick 
and  dying,  great  numbers  of  whom  did  not 
survive  their  wounds. 

Tliose  that  died  were  buried  in  the  bluffs  near 
by,  and  long  after  the  settlement  of  Chand- 
lerville their  ghastly  skeletons  lay  in  white 
rows,  exposed  to  the  sun,  laid  bare  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  wind  up  )n  their    sandy   covering. 

Many  years  ago,  at  the  request  of  a  young 
friend,  the  writer  put  into  verse  and  rhyme 
one  of  the  incidents  related  above,  which  is  as 
fo  lows  : 


14 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


THE  LEGEND  OF  MONS(ELA. 


Far,  far  into  the  long  ago,  and  upon  the  very  place 
Where  Beanlstown  stands,  there  lived  and  loved  and 

died  a  noble  race. 
Where  pretty  lawns   and  spacious   streets   and   lofty 

buildings  stand, 
Monsoela'a  Indian  village  stood  upon  the  hills  of  sand. 

It  w.as  an  island  then,  and  round  the  hills  on  v/hich  it 

stood 
The  river  ripples  wandered  in  a  long  continuous  flood; 
While  over  all  the  tall  oaks  waved  in  foliage  bright 

and  green. 
And  the  trees  and  tents  were  mirror'd  on  the  broad 

and  glassy  stream. 
Far  above  the  stars  were  shining,  bathed  in  clouds  of 

silv'ry  light. 
And  the  gentle  breeze  of  summer-day  h.ad  slumbered 

into  ni;.;lit; 
The  mui-mur  of  the  wavelets  flowing,  and  hum   of  in- 
sect wings. 
Fell    lightly  on  the   sleepers'    ears,    nor  waked   their 

slumberings. 

Three   weary   moons   two  Indian  tribes  had  been   in 

deadly  strife, 
And  Miamis  and  Muscoutens  had  yielded  many  a  life  ; 
Till  the  allies  of  the  Muscoutens  had  left  them    all 

alone. 
And  the  Miamis  besieged  them  upon  their  island  home. 

Slowly,  at  night,  across  the  waters  upon  the  southern 

side. 
The  Miamis  were  paddling  up  their  canoes  against  the 

tide ; 
While  in  advance  of  every  boat  was  held  a  branching 

bough, 
Which  from  the  gaze  of  watching  eyes  might  shield 

the  advancing  prow. 

Upon  the  island,  faint  and  tired,  the  Muscoutens  lay  at 
rest, 

All  witless  of  the  coming  foe  as  the  flowers  which 
they  pressed ; 

They  had  fought  them  day  by  day,  their  watchfires 
burning  night  by  night, 

Until  glimmered  on  their  ashen  beds  the  last  faint 
rays  of  light. 

Just  as  the  distant  glittering  beams  that  led  the  morn- 
ing sun 


Sat   lightly   on    the   yellow    knobs    of    the    bluffs    of 

Sangamon, 
A  yell  as  of  a   thousand  fiends   fell   on   the  startled 

ears, 
And  sleepers  woke  to  sleep  again  pierced   by  the  foe- 

niens'  spears. 

Monsoela  then,  Muscouten's  Chief,  raised  high  the 
battle  cry, 

And  bade  his  warriors  follow  him  and  win  the  fight  or 
die ; 

Now  on  the  left,  now  on  the  right,  his  ponderous  war- 
club  foil, 

And  many  an  Indian  skull  crushed  he,  and  stifled 
many  a  yell. 

Now  backward   borne,  now  pressing  on,  Muscouten's 

wavering  liraves 
Proved  that  the  blood  that  nerved  their  arms  was  never 

meant  for  slaves  ; 
'Till  overpowered,  and  rank  by  rank  fell  weltering  in 

their  blood. 
The  lirave  Monsoela  fought  alone  amidst  the  crimson 

flood. 

Then   the   ohl    chiefs    daughter,    White    Wing,    ran 

tlirough  the  rift  of  spears  ; 
'Thoujh  gentle  as  a  fawn,  that  day   she   showed    no 

childish  fears ; 
Pierced  to  the  heart,  into  his  arms  she  threw  herself, 

a  shield, 
He  grasped  her  lifeless  form  and  slowly  bore  her  from 

the  field. 

Where  the  golden  grass  was  waving   on   the  river's 

western  shore, 
Monsoela's  birchen  shallop  touched  the  flowery  bank 

once  more  ; 
There  oft  before  the  same  proud  chief  had  pushed  his 

light  canoe, 
With  warriors  in  sinewy  keels — three  hundred  bravt 

and  true. 

Near  two  hundred  years  have  entered  into  the  dreamy 

past 
Since  thechief  of  the  Muscoutens  on  his  village  looked 

the  last — 
One  longing,  lingering  look  he  gave  toward  his  island 

home, 
Then  drew  his  mantle  round  him  and  wandered  forth 

alone. 

Some  years  later,  Mound  Island  was  taken 
posses  ion  of  by  the  Kickapoo  Indians,  upon 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUXTY. 


15 


^\hich  they  built  a  village,  known  as  "  Kicka- 
poo  Town,"  although  still  remcmbererl  by  the 
French  Missionaries  as  the  "Beautiful  Mound 
Village."  This  became  a  favorite  trading 
post  and  missionary  station,  and  continued  in 
the  possession  of  the  Kickapoos  until  its  set- 
tlement by  Thomas  Beard,  in  18"20,  after 
whom  the  present  city  of  Beardstown  was 
named. 

A  few  years  later  the  great  mound  in 
Beardstown  began  to  be  encroached  upon  by 
the  spade  and  pickaxe  of  the  avaricious 
white  man.  Still  later,  Horace  Billings  built 
upon  its  river  front  a  huge  mill,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  grinding  corn,  bolting  it  fine  like 
wheat  flour,  kiln-drying,  sacking  it,  and  ship- 
ping it  to  Europe  as  bread  stuff.  This  build- 
ing was  five  stories  high,  a  massive  frame,  and 
the  mound  was  so  excavated  with  winding 
roads  that  teams  could  be  driven  to  three 
different  stories,  to  load  and  unload. 

This  enterprise  proved  a  ruinous  failure. 
The  drying  process  destroyed  the  vitality  of 
the  meal,  and  prevented  its  sale.  The  build- 
ing was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  earth,  of 
which  the  mound  was  composed,  and  which 
is  supposed  to  have  been  taken  by  its  builders 
from  the  bottom  of  the  river,  was  stolen  away 
by  wagon-loads  to  cover  house  lots  and  streets 
with,  and  its  site  was  finally  reduced  to  the 
level  of  the  adjacent  streets. 

The  decaying  bones  of  the  red  warrio-s,  as 
they  lay  in  their  quiet  an4  lovely  resting 
place,  with  the  implements  -,of  war  around 
them;  the  silver  and  flint  crosses  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, even  the  beautiful  mound  itself, 
which  as  an  ornament  and  historic  feature  to 
the  town  and  river,  should  have  been  held 
sacred,  could  not  restrain  the  money- making 
white  man  from  destroying  it,  and  it  is  now 
recollected  only  by  the  old  settlers,  who  used 
to  sit  upon  its  summit  and  watch  the  passing 
away  ofthelast  of  two  races — the  Indian  in  his 
cano2,  and  the  French  voyageur  in  his  j)irogue. 


In  1700,  Illinois  was  a  part  of  the  territory 
owned  by  the  French  government,  and  was 
called  New  France. 

In  17^0,  all  the  country  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi River  belonged  to  Spain,  with  Santa  Fe 
as  its  capital. 

In  17G3,  Illinois  was  ceded  by  France  to 
Great  Britain,  after  a  "  seven  year's  war," 
Many  French  inhabitants,  rather  than  live 
under  British  rule,  joined  La  Clede  and  set- 
tled in  St.  Louis,  then  French  territory. 

In  1778,  the  Illinois  country  was  conquered 
from  Great  Britain  by  troops  from  the  State 
of  Virginia,  under  the  command  of  General 
George  Rogers  Clark,  which  was  an  inde- 
pendent military  enterprise  of  that  State;  and 
on  the  4th  day  of  July  of  that  year,  General 
Clark  and  his  troops  took  possession  of  Kas- 
kaskia,  the  capital  of  the  British  possessions 
west  of  the  AUeghenies,  and  declared  the 
Illinois  country  free  and  independent  of  Great 
Britain,  thus  making  the  -ith  day  of  July  the 
natal  day  of  this  State  as  well  as  of  the  Na- 
tion. In  that  year,  Illinois  was  created  a 
county  of  Virginia,  and  Timothy  Dernanbrun 
was  appointed  by  the  governor,  Patrick  Henry, 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  to  rule  over  it;  which 
was  probably  the  most  extensive  territorial 
jurisdiction  that  a  magistrate  ever  had. 

In  1794,  the  legislature  of  the  Northwest 
Territory  divided  it  into  two  counties,  Ran- 
dolph and  St.  Clair. 

In  1800,  Illinois  was  declared  a  separate 
territory. 

In  1812,  Madison  County  was  organizeil 
from  St.  Clair,  and  then  contained  all  of  the 
present  State  north  of  St.  Clair  and  Randolph. 

In  1818,  Illinois  was  admitted  into  the 
Union  as  the  twenty-second  State. 

In  1821,  Green  County  was  formed  from 
Madison  County. 

In  1823,  Morgan  County  was  formed  from 
Green  County,  which  included  the  territory 
now  known  as  Cass  County. 


IG 


HISTORY   OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


During  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  cen- 
tiuy,  immigration  to  the  Illinois  country  was 
retarded  by  frequent  earthquakes;  indeed, 
from  1811  to  1813  they  were  as  severe  as  ever 
happened  on  this  continent,  and  the  few  set- 
tlers then  here  were  in  constant  dread  from 
these  disturbances.  New  Madrid,  a  flourish- 
ing town  near  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  was 
utterly  destroyed  and  partially  swallowed  up. 
But  in  1825,  the  Erie  Canal  was  completed, 
and  steamboats  had  been  introduced  upon  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  and  immigration 
received  a  new  impulse  and  flowed  in  vigorous- 
ly. This  immigration  excitement  was  called 
east  of  the  Alleghenies,  the  "western  fever;  " 
and  it  carried  many  a  good  man  ofi^ — loest. 

Another  circumstance  which  prevetited  im- 
migration into  central  Illinois  during  the 
same  period  was,  that  all  that  portion  of  it 
that  lay  south  of  the  Kankakee,  east  of  the 
Illinois,  west  of  the  Wabash  and  north  of  a 
line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
eastward  to  the  Wabash,  including  the  present 
Cass  County,  was  owned  and  in  possession  of 
the  Kickapoos,  a  powerful  and  warlike  tribe 
of  Indians,  who  conquered  this  territory  about 
the  middle  of  the  last  century  from  the  Illi- 
nois Indians.  The  Kickapoos,  while  friendly 
with  the  French,  lookeil  with  extreme  jeal- 
ousy upon  the  Americans,  and  discouraged 
their  settlement  in  this  territory.  This  wide 
scope  of  country,  included  the  best  and  most 
fruitful  portions  of  Illinois,  and  pioneers  were 
anxious  for  the  general  government  to  pur- 
chase it  of  the  Kickapoos,  and  open  it  to  set- 
tlement. Several  efforts  were  made  by  the 
government  to  treat  with  them  for  their  lands, 
but  being  of  a  haughty  spirit,  no  satisfaction 
could  be  obtained  from  them,  until  Gen.  Har- 
rison defeated  them  at  the  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe, which  so  diminished  their  vanity  that 
they  sought  to  treat,  but  Gen.  Harrison  re- 
fused. Shortly  afterward  they  were  again 
defeated  by  Col.  Zachary  Taylor,  and  in  Octo- 


ber, 1812,  Co!.  Russell  defeated  thcmatKick- 
apooTown.on  the  Illinois  River,  the  present 
site  of  Beardstown,  and  again,  in  November 
Col.  HopkinsHestroyed  one  of  their  towns  on 
Wildcat  Creek.  They  then  sued  for  peace, 
and  their  chief.  Little  Otter,  met  Gen.  Harri- 
son. The  treaties  of  Portage  des  Sioux  (Sept. 
2,  1815)  and  Fort  Harrison  (June  4,  1816),  fol- 
lowed. These  treaties  being  indefinite  in 
their  results,  the  Kickapoos  still  retaining 
their  lands,  many  of  them  religiously  believ- 
ing and  maintaining  that  they  were  granted 
them  by  the  Great  Spirit  as  their  possession 
forever,  and  that  he  would  be  angry  if  they 
sold  them;  the  following  order  was  issued  by 
the  general  government,  addressed  to  Gov. 
Wm.  Clark,  Indian  Superintendent  at  St. 
Louis,  and  to  Gov.  Ninian  Edwards,  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Territory  of  Illinois: 

"  Department  of  War,  Nov.  1,  1817. 

"  Gentlemen: — I  have  the  honor  to  enclose 
you  a  commission,  for  the  purpose  of  treating 
with  the  Illinois,  the  Kickapoos,  the  Potta- 
watomies  and  other  tribes  of  Indians  within 
the  Illinois  territory.  The  object  of  this  nego- 
tiation is  to  obtain  a  cession  from  the  tribes 
who  may  have  a  claim  to  it,  of  all  that  tract 
of  land  which  lies  between  the  mo.st  north- 
eastern point  of  boundary  of  the  lands  ceded 
by  the  Kaskaskias  in  August,  1803,  the  San- 
gamo  and  the  Illinois  rivers;  and  which  tract 
of  land  comj^letely  divided  the  settled  parts 
of  the  Illinois  Territory  from  that  part  which 
lies  between  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi 
rivers,  and  which  has  been  lately  surveyed  for 
the  purpose  of  satisfying  the  military  land 
bounties,  a  circumstance  which  makes  the 
acquisition  of  this  tract  of  country  peculiarly 
desirable. 

"If  either  of  the  tribes  who  have  a  claim 
to  the  land  is  desirous  of  exchanging  their 
claim  for  lands  on  the  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
you  are  authorized  to  make  the  exchange,  and 
your   extensive  local  knowledge  of  the  coun- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


17 


try  will  enable  you  to  designate  that  part  of  it 
where  it  would  be  most  desirable  to  locate 
the  lands  to  be  given  as  an  equivalent.  To 
other  tribes  who  may  not  wish  to  remove,  you 
will  allow  such  an  annuity,  for  a  fixed  period, 
as  you  may  deem  an  adequate  compensation 
for  the  relinquishment  of  their  respective 
claims.  To  enable  you  to  give  the  usual  pres- 
ents on  such  occasions,  you  are  authorized 
to  draw  on  this  department  for  §G,000. 

"The  contractor  will  furnish,  on  the  re- 
quisition of  either  of  you,  the  rations  that 
may  be  necessay  for  the  supply  of  the  Indians 
while  attending  the  treaty.  Your  compensa- 
tion will  be  at  the  rate  of  eight  dollars  per 
day  for  the  time  actually  engaged  in  treating 
with  the  Indians;  and  that  of  the  secretary, 
whom  you  are  authorized  to  appoint,  will  be 
at  the  rate  of  five  dollars  a  day. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect, 
"Your  obedient  servant, 

"George  Geaham, 
"Acting  Secretary  of  War." 

Under  these  instructions,  such  negotiations 
were  had  with  the  Kickapoo  Indians,  that  on 
the  30th  day  of  July,  1819,  that  tribe  ceded 
to  the  United  States  all  the  above  described 
tract  of  land.     The  final  treaty  was  signed  on 


the  part  of  the  government  by  August  Choteau 
and  Benjamin  Stevenson,  and  by  twenty-three 
chiefs  of  the  Kickapoos,  who  reluctantly 
placed  their  awkward  but  significant  sio-n- 
manuals  thereto.  Among  other  things,  and 
together  with  many  presents  and  much  amuni- 
tion,  the  United  States  agreed  to  pay  them 
$3,000  a  year  for  fifteen  years,  and  assigned 
them  a  large  tract  on  the  Osage.  From  the 
date  of  tlie  treaty  they  began  to  remove  from 
the  State,  but  very  slowly  and  reluctantly, 
and  in  1823  there  were  still  four  hundred 
Kickapoos  remaining  in  Central  Illinois,  and 
up  to  1821,  quite  a  large  number  of  them 
remained  within  the  present  limits  of  Cass 
County,  and  at  their  town  on  the  present  site 
of  Beardstown.  A  few  of  them,  who  had 
connected  with  the  French  by  marriage,  re- 
mained in  Beardstown  and  on  the  islands 
near  by,  many  years  afterward. 

This  purchase  from  the  Kickapoos,  opened 
the  most  beautiful  portion  of  the  State  to  set- 
tlers. That  part  of  it  now  included  in  the 
counties  of  Cass,  Morgan,  Scott,  Mason,  Men- 
ard, Sangamon,  Logan,  Macon  and  some  oth- 
ers, was  known  far  and  near,  as  the  "  Sangamo 
Country,"  and  its  fertile  soil  soon  attracted 
great  numbers  of  actual  settlers,  who  made 
farms,  laid  out  towns,  built  roads  and  bridges. 


V. 


18 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  n. 

SETTLEMENTS  OF  THE  COUNTRY  NOT  INCLUDED  IN  CASS   COUNTY— SOME  OF  THE  PION- 
EERS AND  WHERE   THEY    SETTLED— THE    SANGAMO   COUNTRY— ITS    FERTILITY- 
PRAIRIE    SCHOONERS— FIRST   LAND    ENTRY— BEARD'S    FERRY— BEARD   & 
MARSH'S   ENTRY    OF   LAND— FIRST   SETTLERS   OF    BEARDSTOWN— 
DEED  OF    DEFEASANCE— GOING  TO   EGYPT   FOR  CORN- AR- 
RIVAL OF   OTHER   SETPLERS- THE   ENTRY  OF  LAND, 
ETC.,  ETC.,  ETC. 


IN  1818  a  man  by  the  name  of  PuIIam 
settled  upon  Horse  Creek,  a  tributary  of 
the  Sangamon  river,  and  later,  in  November 
of  that  year,  Seymour  Kellogg  first  settled 
the  country  afterward  included  in  Morgan 
County,  and  it  was  at  his  house  that  the  first 
white  child  of  the  Sangamo  country  was  born. 

The  first  actual  and  permanent  vfhite  set- 
tler within  the  limits  of  the  present  city  of 
Beardstown,  was  Thomas  Beard,  who  came 
here  on  horseback  when  it  was  a  Kickapoo 
town,  in  1819,  and  made  it  his  home  as  a 
trader  among  the  Indians. 

JNIartin  L.  Lindsley,  together  with  his  wife 
and  two  children,  John  C.  and  Mary  A.,  and 
Timothy  Harris  and  John  Cettrough,  settled 
in  Beardstown  in  1820,  and  afterward  located 
in  "  Camp  Hollow,"  a  mile  east  of  the  present 
county  farm,  where  Mr.  Lindsley  built  a  cabin, 
and  the  first  white  child  born  in  this  (after- 
ward) Cass  County,  was  added  to  his  family. 

During  the  year  1820,  a  family  named  Eg- 
gleston  settled  on  the  site  of  Beardstown. 

Major  Elijah  lies,  now  a  resident  of  Spring- 
field, 111.,  landed  in  1819  where  Beardstown 
now  is,  on  his  way  to  the  "  Keeley  Settle- 
ment," afterward  named  Calhoun,  and  now 
Springfield,  the  State  capital.  He  says  that  at 
that  time  there  was  a  hut  at  Beardstown,  built 
of  birchen  poles,  standing  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  but  unoccupied.  As  the  Indians  lived 
in  tents,  this  hut  was  probably  erected  by  the 


French  traders  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century 
before  the  landing  of  Major  lies. 

Archibald  Job  settled  first  at  Beardstown, 
and  then  at  Sylvan  Grove,  in  the  north  edge 
of  North  Prairie,  in  the  spring  of  1821,  sur- 
rounded by  Kickapoo  Indians. 

There  were  other  pioneers  who  temporarily 
settled  here  about  that  time,  whose  names  we 
have  not  learned. 

In  1821,  there  were  but  twenty  white  fam- 
ilies within  the  present  limits  of  Morgan, 
Cass  and  Scott  Counties. 

But  when  the  reputation  of  the  "  Sangamo 
Country"  for  unrivaled  fertility,  and  that  the 
Indian  title  to  it  had  become  extinguished, 
and  the  lands  would  soon  be  surveyed  and 
offered  for  sale  by  the  government,  had 
reached  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  the  sturdy 
and  enterprising  farmers  of  those  States  be- 
gan to  remove  thereto  in  great  numbers. 

There  was  at  that  time  in  common  use,  a 
craft  known  as  the  "prairie  ship,"  or  as  some 
called  it  the  "prairie  schooner,"  and  nothing 
similar  to  it  ever  floated  or  moved  in  or 
upon  or  between  the  waters  of  the  earth.  It 
was  constructed  with  four  huge  wheels,  upon 
which  was  a  great  bed  or  box,  formed  like  a 
quarter  of  a  moon,  with  the  bend  hanging  be- 
tween the  fore  and  aft  wheels.  The  solid 
running  gearing,  well  and  fantastically  ironed, 
the  broad  felloes  heavily  tired,  the  tongue 
arranged   for  a  propelling  power  of    either 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


19 


horses  or  oxen,  its  high  end-boards  and  curv- 
ing side-boards,  ribbed  and  barred  and  riveted, 
glaring  in  red  or  blue  paint,  was  not  gotten 
up  merely  for  show.  It  made  no  pretensions 
to  beauty.  It  was  thoroughly  a  substantial 
craft.  What  has  l)ecome  of  the  old  "prairie 
ship,"  with  the  four  horses  before  it,  and  the 
driver  in  his  saddle  (Sn  the  near  wheel-horse, 
twitching  at  a  single  rein? 

The  old  "  prairie  ship,"  with  its  great  white 
cover  and  flapping  curtains,  looking  at  a  dis- 
tance on  the  prairie  like  a  ship  on  the  ocean, 
was  the  great  original  of  the  emigrant  wagon 
of  the  West.  This  craft  was  of  vast  capacity. 
It  contained  ample  bedding  for  a  large  fam- 
ily, made  up  of  all  ages  and  sexes.  It  held 
cooking  utensils,  provisions,  ammunition, 
tubs,  buckets,  besides  the  family.  The  wagon 
box  or  bed  was  fitted  with  flat  iron  staples, 
about  eighteen  inches  apart,  along  its  sides, 
and  in  those  were  placed  ashen  hoops  which 
bended  over  from  side  to  side  of  the  wagon 
box,  leaving  a  roomy  space  inside  about  five 
feet  high  and  twenty  feet  more  or  less  long, 
■which  when  covered  with  canvas,  looped  over 
at  the  ends,  made  a  comfortable  room,  high, 
dry  and  safe  from  storms.  Upon  the  sides  of 
the  wagon  box  were  cleats  to  secure  the  crow- 
bar, axes,  spades,  mattocks,  chisels  and 
augurs;  and  underneath  hung  the  kettles,  tar- 
bucket,  water-bucket  and  baskets.  An  extra 
log-chain  was  coiled  around  the  coupling  pole 
under  the  wagon  for  use  in  emergencies, 
which  frequently  happened. 

It  was  in  these  prairie  schooners  that  most 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Cass  (then  Morgan) 
County  emigrated  from  the  older  States.  These 
journeys  were  not  altogether  pleasure  trips,  al- 
though there  were  pleasant  features  connected 
with  them,  and  thej'  were  usually  terminated 
with  every  member  of  the  family  in  robust 
health,  sickness  verj'  rarely  afflicting  those  who 
traveled  in  this  way,  yet  they  were  sometimes 
attended  with  dangers,  hardships  and  "hair- 


breadth 'scapes,"  which  were  profitably  re- 
counted by  the  participants  in  after  life  to  the 
rising  generation.  There  were  but  few  roads 
and  bridges  at  that  time,  and  the  prairies  had 
to  be  crossed  on  Indian  trails,  the  rivers 
forded  where  there  were  no  ferries,  and  the 
creeks  and  brooks,  where  the  banks  were 
steep,  were  still  more  difficult  to  cross. 
In  such  case,  sometimes  a  bridge  was  impro- 
vised, or  a  tree  was  felled  across  it,  the  limbs 
removed,  the  wagons  taken  all  apart,  and 
each  separate  piece  and  article  of  freight 
carried  by  hand  across  over  the  fallen  tree, 
and  set  up  and  loaded  on  the  other  side, 
Sometimes  a  single  "mover"  would  do  all, 
this  alone.  But,  for  convenience,  these 
"movers"  would  sometimes  travel  in  com- 
panies or  caravans,  and  in  that  case  assist  each 
other,  and  thus  make  the  journey  much  more 
pleasant,  safe  and  expeditious.  It  was  a 
common  sight  upon  the  Illinois  prairies  in 
those  days  to  see  such  a  caravan,  the  white 
canvas  tops  of  the  prairie  schooners  looking 
in  the  distance  like  a  fleet  at  sea  under  sail. 
These  emigrants  generally  drove  along  with 
them  a  few  head  of  cattle,  or  led  some  brood 
mares,  so  that  in  the  new  country  they  were 
prepared  to  raise  cattle  and  horses.  Some 
also  brought  in  a  coop  lashed  to  the  wagon,  a 
few  fowls,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  chickens 
in  the  new  home. 

Let  us  suppose  several  of  these  prairie 
schooners,  in  the  early  "twenties,"  have 
reached  the  northern  part  of  Morgan  County 
(now  Cass),  and,  enraptured  with  the  view, 
unhitch  the  teams  and  look  around.  The 
land  was  surveyed  and  offered  for  sale  by  the 
government  for  the  first  time  in  November, 
1823,  so  that  all  those  who  settled  here  pre- 
vious to  that  date  were  only  "■squatters  "  on 
the  public  lands,  waiting  for  the  time  to  come 
when  they  could  pre-empt  or  buy.  Our  im- 
aginary immigrants,  having  looked  around 
find  there  is  a  navigable  river,  the  Illinois,  a 


20 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


few  miles  distant,  which  will  insure  them  a 
future  market  for  their  produce.  They  find 
good,  rich  prairie  land  for  their  farms,  and 
plenty  of  timber  for  housing  and  fencing. 
They  conclude  this  will  do.  Having  selected 
the  tract  of  land  that  suits  them,  they  go  to 
some  distant  town  for  a  surveyor,  who  comes 
and  gives  them  the  numbers  and  metes  and 
bounds.  They  then  make  a  weary  journey  on 
horseback  of  a  hundred  miles  to  Edwardsville, 
where  the  government  land  office  is  located, 
to  enter  or  buy  the  land.  Having  secured  the 
land — the  family  having  domiciled  in  the 
wagon  in  the  meantime — the  men-folks  pro- 
ceed to  build  a  log  cabin,  in  the  structure  of 
which  not  a  nail,  or  bit  of  iron  or  glass  is  used. 
The  outside  walls  are  made  of  round  or  hewn 
logs,  fitted  together  at  the  ends  and  chinked 
with  chips  and  clay  between  them.  The  floor 
is  made  of  split  logs.  The  roof  is  covered 
with  rived  weather-boards,  kept  in  their 
places  by  poles  laid  across  them.  The  chim- 
ney is  made  with  logs  and  sticks  and  clay. 
The  doors  are  made  with  split  boards,  fas- 
tened together  with  wooden  pins,  swung  on 
wooden  hinges,  and  fastened  only  with  a 
wooden  latch.  Bedsteads  are  improvised  of 
poles,  and  benches  of  split  logs  on  sapling 
legs. 

Tlius  the  "  first  families  "  of  Cass  County 
started  in  life,  and  most  of  the  great  farms 
within  its  borders  had  such  a  beofinninof. 

The  first  land  "  entry"  (i.  e.  purchase  from 
the  government,)  was  made  by  Thomas  Beard 
and  Enoch  C.  March,  jointly,  upon  the  north- 
east quarter  of  Section  15,  in  Township  18, 
Range  13,  September  23,  182G.  It  was  upon 
this  fractional  quarter  section  that  Mr.  Beard's 
cabin  was  built.  It  was  placed  upon  the 
steep  bank  of  the  river,  at  the  present  foot  of 
State  street,  near  where  he  afterward  built 
his  brick  hotel.  In  the  following  spring  it 
was  discovered  that  this  cabin  had  been  built 
over  a  den  of  snakes,  and  thousands  of  them. 


of  many  kinds,  came   out  upon   the  ojiening 
of  warm  weather. 

The  first  licensed  ferry  across  the  Illinois 
river  was  established  June  5, 1836,  by  Thomas 
Beard,  and  a  license  was  granted  him  by  the 
county  commissioners  of  Schuyler  county, 
upon  his  paying  six  dollars  per  annum  into 
the  treasury  of  that  county.  That  ferry  is  in 
operation  yet  by  the  assigns  of  the  Beard 
heirs,  at  Beardstown,  where  it  was  first  lo- 
cated. There  was  at  that  time  no  road  from 
Beardstown  through  Schuyler  county,  but 
blazes  on  the  trees  was  made  out  as  far  as 
where  Rushville  now  stands.  Schuyler  county 
had  been  organized,  and  the  county  seat  had 
been  located  near  where  Pleasant  View  now 
is,  and,  strangely  enough,  that  was  named 
Beardstown,  too.  Why  this  was  so  named, 
so  soon  after  Thomas  Beard  had  named  his 
town,  is  now  past  finding  out.  But  the  location 
was  soon  after  removed  to  Rushville,  or  Rush- 
ton,  as  it  was  first  called. 

Thomas  Beard's  ferry-boat  was  managed  by 
himself  alone,  the  propelling  power  being  a 
pole  in  his  strong  hands.  It  was  so  small 
that  only  one  wagon  and  two  horses  could  be 
crossed  at  one  time,  and  then  very  little  stand- 
ing room  was  left  for  passengers. 

On  the  28th  day  of  October,  1827,  Beard 
and  March  entered  the  northwest  quarter  of 
section  15,  township  18,  Range  12,  which  ex- 
tended their  river  front  down  below  the  great 
mound. 

Thomas  Beard  individually  entered  the 
west  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section 
15,  township  18,  Range  12,  October  10,  1827; 
and  John  Knight  entered  the  east  half  of  the 
southwest  15,  18,  13,  July  17,  1828.  Thus 
there  were  three  men  entered  the  entire  sec- 
tion upon  which  the  original  town  of  Beards- 
town was  located,  in  the  years  182G,  1827  and 
1828. 

The  original  town  of  Beardstown  consisted 
of  twenty-three  blocks,  fronting  on  the  river. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


21 


three  tiers  of  blocks  deop,  reaching  from  Clay 
to  Jackson  streets,  of  which  block  ten,  lying 
between  the  Park  and  Main  street,  and  State 
and  Washington,  is  the  central  one.  It  was 
laid  out  and  platted  by  Enoch  C.  March  and 
Thomas  Beard,  and  acknowledged  before 
Thomas  B.  Arnet,  a  justice  of  tin  psace  of 
Jacksonville,  Sept.  29,  1829,  and  is  recorded 
on  page  228  of  Book  Bof  the  Morgan  County 
Records,  a  transcript  of  which  is  in  the  Cass 
Countj'  Records. 

Among  the  first  settlers  in  Beardstown, 
after  it  became  a  town  site,  were  Francis 
Arenz  and  Nathaniel  Ware,  who  purchased 
an  interest  and  became  joint  landed  proprie- 
tors with  Beard  and  March.  The  town  was 
named  after  Thomas  Beard. 

The  first  deed  from  March  and  Beard  upon 
record  of  lands  within  the  present  limits 
of  Beardstown,  was  made  before  the  town 
was  laid  out,  and  is  dated  August  21,  1828, 
to  "  Charles  Robinson,  of  New  Orleans,"  for 
the  consideration  of  one  hundred  dollars, 
being  for  a  "  part  of  the  fractional  part  of  the 
northwest  quarter  of  Section  15,  Township  18, 
Range  12,  beginning  at  a  forked  birch  tree 
on  the  Illinois  river  bank,  marked  as  a  cor- 
ner, running  thence  down  the  river  meanders 
thereof,  so  as  to  make  two  hundred  yards  on 
a  straight  line,  and  from  thence  running  out 
from  the  river  at  both  ends  of  the  above  line 
by  two  parallel  lines,  until  they  strike  the 
north  line  of  the  east  half  of  the  southwest 
quarter  of  Section  15,  Township  18,  Range 
12,  supposed  to  contain  twelve  acres. 

Immediately  following  this  deed  upon  the 
record  is  this  singular  "  deed  of  defeasance," 
executed  by  Charles  Robinson  : 

DEED    OP    DEFEASANCE. 

"I  having  this  day  bought  of  Enoch  C 
March  and  Thomas  Beard  and  his  wife,  Sarah, 
a  p^ece  of  land  on  the  river  below  the  ferry 
of  the  above  Beard,  and  have  this  day   re- 


ceived from  them  a  deed  for  the  same;  1 
hereby  declare  that  it  is  my  intention  to  do  a 
public  business  on  the  said  land  between  this 
date  and  the  first  day  of  October,  next  year, 
and  if  I  have  not  upon  the  land  by  that  date, 
persons  and  property  to  effect  the  same,  or 
actually  upon  the  way  to  do  so,  I  will  return 
the  above  deed,  and  transfer  back  the  land  to 
them  upon  receiving  the  consideration  given 
them  for  the  same.  The  above  public  busi- 
ness means  a  steam  mill,  distillery,  rope-walk 
or  store.  Witness  my  hand  and  seal,  this  21st 
day  of  August,  1828. 

"(Signed)  Charles  Robinson,  [seal]" 

The  certificate  upon  this  deed  shows  it  to 
have  been  acknowledged  August  1,  1828, 
before  Dennis  Rockwell,  clerk  of  the  circuit 
court  of  Morgan  County;  recorded  June  29, 
1829,  in  Book  B  of  deeds,  page  180.  The 
land  described  in  the  deed  from  March  and 
Beard  to  Robinson  is  part  of  the  original 
town  of  Beardstown. 

Mr.  Charles  Robinson,  party  to  these  deeds, 
now  dead,  was  until  recently  a  resident  of 
Cass  County,  near  Arenzville.  On  the  8th 
of  February,  1872,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Chicago  Journal,  from  which  we  make  this 
extract: 

"  Fifty  years  ago,  or  in  the  summer  of  1821, 
there  was  not  a  bushel  of  corn  to  be  had  in 
Central  Illinois.  My  father  settled  in  that 
year  twenty-three  miles  west  of  Springfield. 
We  had  to  live  for  a  time  on  venison,  black- 
berries and  milk,  while  the  men  were  gone 
to  Egypt,  to  harvest  and  procure  breadstufFs. 
The  land  we  improved  was  surveyed  that 
summer,  and  afterwards  bought  of  the  gov- 
ernment, the  money  being  raised  by  sending 
beeswax  down  the  Illinois  river  to  St.  Louis, 
in  an  Indian  canoe.  Dressed  deer  skins  and 
tanned  hides  were  then  in  use,  and  we  made 
one  piece  of  cloth  out  of  nettles  instead  of 
flax.  Cotton  matured  well  for  a  decade, 
until  the  deep  snow  of  1830." 


22 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


The  southern  part  of  the  State,  referred  to 
by  Mr.  Robinson  as  "  Egypt,"  received  this 
appellation,  as  here  indicated,  because,  being 
older,  longer  and  better  settled  and  culti- 
vated, it  "  gathered  corn  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea,"  and  the  immigrants  of  the  central  part  of 
the  State,  after  the  manner  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  in  their  want,  "  went  thither  to  buy 
and  bring  from  thence  corn,  that  they  might 
live  and  not  die." 

In  the  early  years  of  the  white  settlements 
here,  wheat  was  not  to  be  had,  and  corn  meal, 
the  only  bread-stulf,  was  exceedingly  hard  to 
obtain,  as  mills  were  scarce.  Jarroe's  Mill, 
on  Cahokia  Creek,  was  for  a  long  time  the 
only  one  accessible  to  our  pioneers.  In  1821, 
a  small  horse-mill  was  erected  on  Indian 
Creek  by  Richard  Sheppard.  Then  a  horse- 
mill  was  put  up  at  Clary's  Grove.  Still  later. 
Ogle's  water  mill  was  built  on  Indian  Creek. 
To  these  mills  the  boys  of  the  families  had  to 
make  frequent  and  tedious  journeys  on  horse- 
back, to  procure  corn  meal  for  bread.  The 
corn  for  this  purpose  had  to  be  shelled  by 
hand,  as  there  were  no  corn-sheller  machines 
then.  Each  boy  could  take  but  one  sack, 
containing  two  or  three  bushels  of  corn.  If 
the  sack  got  misplaced  on  the  horse,  or  fell 
off,  the  boy  was  in  trouble,  as  he  had  not 
strength  sufficient  to  replace  it.  For  this  rea- 
son, several  boys  of  a  neighborhood  would 
club  together  in  going  to  mill,  and  thus  light- 
en their  labors  and  responsibilities.  When 
at  the  mill,  the  boys  must  wait  their  turn,  and 
when  great  numbers  were  in  before  them, 
would  have  to  frequently  stay  all  night  at  the 
mill,  and  sometimes  two  days,  depending 
upon  parched  corn  for  sustenance  after  their 
lunches,  which  they  had  brought  with  them, 
had  become  exhausted. 

Reddick  Horn,  a  Methodist  preacher,  settled 
at  Beardstown  in  1833,  and  entered  lands 
near  the  bluffs;  after  Cass  county  was  formed 
he  became  clerk  of  the  circuit  court. 


The  Cottonwood  school  hovise,  in  the  San- 
gamon bottom,  was  built  in  18130,  and  is  still 
known  by  that  name. 

The  exact  date  of  the  arrival  of  each  of 
the  settlers  is  very  hard  to  obtain,  as  those  of 
them  now  living  differ  in  their  recollections 
of  those  who  have  precedence;  but,  by  tak- 
ing a  conspicuous  event,  as,  for  instance,  the 
deep  snow,  which  occurred  in  the  winter  of 
18  30-31,  it  becomes  more  easy  to  decide  who 
then  lived  in  the  different  neighborhoods. 
At  the  time  of  the  deep  snow,  upon  the 
Sangamon  Bottom  road  there  were  the  follow- 
ing named  settlers  :  The  first  above  Beards- 
town  was  Solomon  Penny,  in  Section  10,  18, 
11,  where  Richard  Tink  novv  lives.  The  next 
was  John  Wagoner,  who  lived  where  the 
Bottrell  farm  is  now.  Above  him  were  the 
Carrs — Elisha,  William  and  B3njamin — and 
their  father;  Elisha  lived  on  the  present  Ken- 
dall farm.  Next  above  the  Carrs  was  Grandpa 
Horrom.  Then  Jerry  Bowen,  where  Calvin 
Wilson  now  lives.  Next,  the  widow  Stewart. 
Next,  Shadrach  Richardson,  on  the  present 
Brauer  farm.  Then  Thomas  Plaster,  Sr., 
where  Jep  ha  Plaster's  farm  is  now. 

These  were  all  that  then  lived  below  where 
Chandlerville  is  now,  on  this  road.  The  first 
above  these  was  Robert  Leeper,  on  the  Cleph. 
Bowen  place.  Next,  William  Myers  ;  next, 
Henry  McHenry;  and  in  their  order  above 
him  were  Peter  Dick,  John  Taylor,  William 
Morgan,  'James  Hickey,  Amos  Ogden;  and 
then  Isham  Reavis,  who  afterwards  moved 
below  Chandlerville.  James  McAuley  and 
Elijah  Garner  settled  in  1833. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  vicinity 
of  Arenzville  were  Henry  McKean,  John  Me- 
Kean,  Alexander  Pitner,  William  Pitner,  .fohn 
Melone,  William  McHenry,  James  Davis, 
George  Bristow,  Aquilla  Low,  J.  A.  Arenz, 
Richard  Matthews,  Charles  Robertson,  James 
Crum,  Christian  Crum,  Peter  Hudson,  Charles 
Wiggins,  David  Black,  Alexander  Huffman, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


23 


li  njiiniia  Matthews,  William  Summers,  An- 
drew Williams,  and  Richard  Graves.  Most  of 
those  persons  came  about  1830. 

John,  Stephen  and  Jasper  Buck  and  John 
Sliafur  were  also  early  settlers.  John  Savage 
came  in  1823. 

In  1830,  there  was  a  water-mill  for  grinding 
corn  at  Arenzville,  where  Ens^elbach's  steam- 
mill  now  stands.  The  power  was  obtained  by 
changing  the  channel  of  Indian  Creek  fully  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  north  from  the  bed  where  it 
now  runs.  There  was  formerly  an  ancient 
Indian  town  and  burial  place  on  Prairie  Creek, 
about  three  miles  north-east  of  Arenzville. 

Among  the  first  settlers  in  the  centre  of 
the  county,  near  where  Virginia  now  stands, 
were  Captain  Jacob  Yaple,  who  set  out  the 
first  apple  orchard  in  the  county;  Henry 
Hopkins,  Elijah  Carver,- Charles  Brady,  John 
Do  Webber,  Thomas  Hanby,  John  Dawsy, 
Samuel  Way,  William  Weaver,  Thomas  Gat- 
ton,  Ha'sey  Smith,  a  preacher  named  Cham- 
bers, and  others.  Some  of  those  settled  as 
soon  as  the  lands  were  offered  for  sale  by  the 
government  at  the  new  land  office  at  Spring- 
field, others  a  few  years  later. 

The  next  installment  of  settlers,  ranging 
fioni  182G  to  1832,  were  James  Stephenson 
and  his  five  grown  sons,  Wesley,  James,  Wil- 
liam, Robert  and  Augustus  ;  Charles  Beggs, 
Jacob  and  John  Ej)ler,  John  Hiler,  Rev. 
John  Bi'ldlecomo,  Isaac  Mitchell,  William 
Kinner,  Jesse  AUred,  Nathan  Compton  ; 
John  C,  Peter  and  William  Conover  ;  and  a 
widow  Pratt,  and  her  four  sons — William, 
Charles,  Rogers  and  Haramel.  A  school- 
house  was  built  of  logs  in  this  neighborhood 
in  1829.  Samuel  Thompson  built  a  horse 
mill  in  1830.  James  Richardson  built  the 
first  blacksmith  shop  in  182(3.  Peter  Conover 
and  Elizabeth  Marshall  were  the  first  to  marry 
here,  which  was  in  1827.  The  southeast  part 
of  the  county  was  settled  early  by  James, 
Davis,    who    made   an    improvement   on    the 


farm  now  owned  by  Travis  Elmore,  at  the 
head  of  Little  Indian  Creek.  He  sold  out  to 
Strother  Ball,  and  he  to  Isaac  Bennett.  B  ii- 
nett  sold  to  William  Grove,  who  entered  the 
land  in  1826.  Eli  Cox  settled  here  as  early 
as  1820,  in  Cox's  Grove,  so  named  from  him, 
and  entered  the  land  as  soon  as  it  came  into 
market,  in  1823.  William  Cooper,  a  negro 
with  a  white  wife,  settled  here  also  ;  and 
S'.ophen  Short,  with  his  four  sons,  James 
Benjamin,  George  and  Albert,  Stephen  Lee, 
Tilman  Honihuckle,  and  Dr.  Stockton,  settled 
in  Panther  Grove  in  1830.  John  Miller, 
James  Thompson  and  Daniel  Blair  settled 
near  by  on  the  prairie.  Stephen  Short  was 
the  first  justice  of  the  peace.  Rev.  William 
Crow,  the  first  preacher. 

Further  north,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
county,  among  the  first  settlers  were  George 
and  John  Wilson,  in  1824  ;  William  Daniels, 
in  IS','5;  B.irtlett  CoJiyors,  .John  Lucas,  John 
B.  Witty,  and  RoSert  Hawthorn,  in  1826. 
The  first  child  born  in  this  neighborhood  was 
Lucinda  Daniels,  in  1828.  The  first  marriage 
was  Miles  Hamilton  and  Barbara  Baeger.  In 
the  northeast  part  of  the  county,  on  and  near 
the  Sangamon  Bottom,  the  first  settlers  were 
Amos  Ogden,  in  1830,  who  built  a  house  of 
hewn  logs  in  1831,  and  rode  three  days  to  get 
eight  men  to  help  him  raise  it.  The  men  who 
helped  him  were  those  other  old  settlers: 
Joseph  Hickey,  James  Watkins,  John  Hiekey, 
James  Hiekey,  Isham  Reavis,  Daniel  Ater- 
bury,  and  a  Mr.  Mounts. 

The  first  school-house  was  of  logs,  built  on 
Amos  Ogden's  farm.  The  first  blacksmith 
shop  was  owned  by  Matthew  Holland  in  1835. 
The  first  mill  was  a  small  specimen  of  a 
water-mill,  owned  by  .James  Watkins  in  1832. 

The  five  Dick  brothers,  William  Lynti  an  1 
William  P.  Morgan,  settled  herein  1831;  and 
Dr.  Charles  Chandler,  Marcus  Chandler  and 
Mr.  Inglis,  in  183 i.  Dr.  Chandler's  cabin 
was  in  the  centre  of  where  the  present   town 


24 


HISTORY  OF  UASS  COUNTY. 


of  Chandlerville  now  is,  where  the  first  Con- 
gregational Church  now  stands,  tlie  land  be- 
ing subsequently  donated  by  the  doctor  for 
that  purpose.  South  of  the  Chandler  settle- 
ment, on  the  Sangamon  Bottom,  were  David 
Clopton,  Robert  Leeper,  William  Myers, 
Oliver  Coyne,  William  McAuley  and  Mark 
Cooper,  in  1831  and  1832.  The  first  preach- 
ing there  was  by  Rev.  Levi  S[)ringer. 

I.,1ST  OF  ALL  TII0S15  WHO  ENTERED  LaND. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  those  who  entered 
land  (i.  e.,  bought  from  the  government), 
•within  the  present  limits  of  Cass  County,  111., 
including  the  "  three  mile  strip,"  before  the 
deep  snow  in  the  winter  of  1830-31;  and  in 
what  township  and  in  what  year  the  entry 
was  made.  Where  a  person  entered  land  in 
more  than  one  township,  his  name  is  given 
for  that  tract  only  which  he  first  entered. 

/   IS,  12.  Thomas  Beard lS2ti 

•■     Enoch  C.  March 1326 

••      John    Knight 1328 

17 


n. 


,  12.  Frci'Mian  Skinner IMO 

'■  Kiniljall  i  Knapp 1.S30 

"  Asa  C.  New 1S.30 

13,  11,  Henry  Snmniers ISIO 

"  Richard  Gainea 1330 

■■  J.itin  S.  Warfield 1330 

••  R,)l.ert  Farrell 1330 

"  .Tohn  Farrell 13.30 

"  Temperance  Baker.... 1329 

17.  11,  James  Orchard 1826 

■•  Oswell  Thompson,  jr.  1.330 

•'  Jos.  L.  Kirkpatrick...IS30 

••  Joseph  C.  Cliristy 1829 

••  Frederick  Troxel 1S28 

'•  Peter  Karges 1830 

~      •'  D.vid  Black 1829 

"  James  Smart 1327 

••  John  R.  Sparks 1823 

•■  Aqnilla  Low 1827 

•'  Ahraham  Gish 1.S23 

"  Charhs  Robertson 1323 

••  Petev  Taylor 1S27 

"  Martin    Robertson 1828 

"  James  H.  Richards....  13:» 

•'  Jonah  H.  Ca,se 1.326 

"  Daniel  R.  Scaffer 1329 

••      Thomas   Clark 1831 

■■      David  B.  Carter 1&T0 

"  James  Davis 1326 

"      Andrew  Williams 1827 

**     Alexander  Huffman. ...1327 

"      William  Summers 132r 

"      L.  L.  Case 1826 

"      John  Savase 1-330 

"      Dennis  Rockwell 1325 

"     Ansustus  Barber 1326 

"     Joseph  P.  Croshwait.. 1330 


Thonnia  WigeiTis 1329 

■■      George  F.  Miller Is23 

'■     Henry  McKean 1329 

•'  Daniel    T.  Matthews.  1323 

•'      John  SIcKean 1329 

•■      Daniel  Richards 1329 

••      Jnhn  luppy 1.530 

"      Patrick  Mullen 1827 

••      Shadrick  Scott 1S23 

•'  Benjamin  Matthews..  1827 

**      Samuel  Grosong 1326 

•■      William  S.  Hauby 1.326 

18,  10,  John  E.Scott 1316 

"     John  De  Weber 1-5^3 

■•      A.  S.  West 1326 

"      John  Ray 1826 

.— '•      Joshua  Crow 1.326 

— "  Benjamin  Stribliug....l830 

"     John  G.  Bergen 1323 

"  Phincas  riidenvood....l326 

"      Henry  M.ulison 1323 

17,  10,  Jacob  Yaple 182.) 

'•      Alexander  D.  Cox 1.<'6 

"      Henry  Madison 1.32i> 

"      James  Marshall K26 

A  "      Jesse  AUred 1.3L'6 

■•     Isa^ic  Mitchell 1329 

^•*      Thonms  Redman 1.32'i 

"      George  Tureman 1327 

••      Edward  Fuller 133.1 

.    "      Levi  Springer I.-^:*.)) 

"     William  M.  Clark n27 

"      George  Freeman 1327 

"      Thom:i3  Payi  e LWO 

"      Luclan  T.  Bryai.l 13.30 

"      William  Lamme 1326 

*'      Silas  Freeman 1828 

•'      Isaiah   Paschall 1328 

"  Littleherry  Freeman.. 1330 

"      !3i].;i>i  Freeman 1828 


19.    9.  David  McGinnis l.s:'.0     17.10, 

"      Stephen    Handy 13:!n   ^  " 

"      Thos.  Plaster 1828 

"      William  Linn 16.30         " 

"      Richard  McDonald....l829     -" 

"      Wilson  Runyon 18.30    —  *' 

"      William  D.  Leeper.. ..13.30     — " 

'•      William  MIyers 1830  — •" 

"     John  Taylor 1829  — " 

'•      Elias  Rogers 1830         " 

Jesse  .Armstrong 1830        " 

1.3,  8,    William  Holmes 1826         " 

—  "      John  Lee 1330         " 

—  '•      Joseph  Lee '8.30 

-    '•      Robert  Nance 1330 

•'      James  Fletcher 1829 

17,0,    John  Hughes 1827 

■•     Susanna  Walker 1.S21 

"     Solomon  Redman 1326         " 

_;i^  Henry  Kittner 1826        " 

-"      Martin  Hardin 1827 

•■      Josiah  Flinn 1,326    17,^9, 

~  "      David  >[anclie3ter 1.331     — •=- 

■■      William  Miller 1326 

••      Strother  Hall I.s26     — " 

*'      Samuel  Montgomery.. 1.330     ~  " 

18,  11,  William  W.  Babb 1529        " 

•'      EIred  Renshaw 1330         " 

18,  II,  Sam'l  B.  Crewdson.,..l.S29         " 

Solomon  Penny 132.3         " 

"      Benjamin  L'arr 1829         " 

'*      Amos  Hager 1830         " 

"      Reddick   Horn 1826    ~" 

"     Elisha  Carr 1.329 

"     John  Waggoner 1829     — " 

"      James    Scott 1829    ~  " 

17,  11,  Alexander    Pitner 1829         "• 

"      John  Thompson 1.S.30         " 

18.  10,  William  Myers 1.327        " 

'-"     Thomas  Gatton 1829 

"     James  Mason 1329        " 

■""      Nathan  Compton 1.328 

"     John  Robertson 1.323        " 

"      Street  li   Bland 1327    "~^' 

"      Susan  Washburn 1^27    19,  8, 

"      Henry  Traughber 1.326 

••     William  McCord 1.3.30 

••      Robert  Alexander 1329    18,  8, 

"      Ralph    Morgan 1.3,30 

-^  "      John  Biildlecome 1.3.30 

'•     Sijdoc  W.  Flyun I.s29    ~-" 

"      Peter  Cirr 1.328  . —  " 

••      William   C.rr 1.323    -  •  " 

••     William  D.Stnrgis....l8.30 

"      ShadrMi  Richardson. ...1.330        ~" 

■•      Robert  H.  Ivers 1.3.30    — " 

"      Josiah  Rees 1S30\17,  8, 

"     Joseph  Baker 1829   — " 

~"      Thom.w  Plaster 1.3.30    — " 

••      William  .Sewa'l 1.3.30    ■—•• 

17,  10,  William  Chambers 1826         " 

"      John  C.  Oonover 1827        ^' 

"     Susanna  Pratt I.32fi    . — ** 

"      D.ivid  Black 13i0 

"      James  Marshall 1.326 

^   •'      Jacob  W.ird 1829 

These  make  21'Z  persons 
in  what  is  now  Cass  Con 
deep  snow. 


William  Porter 1820 

J.acob  Lawrence 1826 

Carrollton  R.  Gatton. .1826 

Thomas  Gatton 1326 

Archibald  Job 1326 

Peter  Oonover 1826 

William  Conovcr...'....IS26 

Abner  Tinnen 1326 

Nathan  Compton 1326 

Joseph  T.  Leonard 1826 

Bazaleel  Gillett 1830 

George  T.  Bristow 1826 

William  H.  Johnson.. 1830 

William  Br.edc-n I,'i27 

Peter  Taylor.... .'..1.329 

Jolin   Re.ini 1830 

Samuel  Way 1828 

Archer  Herndon 1.327 

Evin  Martin 1.327 

James  Sturgis 1827 

Jonathan  Atlierton...,l830 

Burton  Litton 1.330 

Page  A.  Williams 1.326 

Morris  Davis 1826 

Josiah  Sims 1826 

Robert  Fitzhugh 1,326 

Jesse  Gum 1827 

TbonijLS  .\tkinsou 1826 

John  Vance 1826 

James  Welsh 1327 

Richard   Jones I.S2fl 

James  Fletcher 1829 

Andrew  Beard 1827 

John   Bridges 1826 

John  Creel 1827 

Joseph  McDonald 1,326 

Gersham  Jayne 1,329 

Jonas  McDoinild 1328 

Anthony  M.  Thomas..  1826 

Alexander  Beard 1329 

John  Robertson 1829 

Felix   French 1829 

Richard  A,  Lane 183U 

John  BIcDonald 1828 

Isb  im  Reavis 18:10 

Robert  Taylor I.s3u 

Wm.  P.  Morgan 18.30 

Samuel  Reid 1828 

Robert  Elkins 1829 

R.Uph  Elkins 1829 

Henry  Williams 1.328 

Eaton    Nance 1828 

John  Luciis 1829 

Susan  Washhurne 1328 

D.ivid  Williams 1829 

Joel  Ragsdale 1,329 

James  B.  Watson 1326 

Wm.  Cooper 1326 

Stephen  Short 18.30 

Wm.  Crow \ti2G 

Lewis  Fanner l&3i» 

Stephen  Lee 1830 

Eli  Cox 1S21 

Robert  Johnson Is2i 

G.  W.  Wilson 1.S29 

Wm.  T.  Hamilton 1826 

who  entered   land 
ty,  previous  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


23 


CHAPTEE  III. 

INCREASE  OF  POPULATION-THE  DEEP  SNOW  OF  ISIO-THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR-RENDEZ 
VOUS  OF  SOLDIERS  AT  BEARDSTOWN— CAUSE  OF  DR.  CHANDLER'S  SETTLEMENl'— 
MEETING  BETWEEN  HIM  AND  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN— BUSINESS  OF  BEARDS- 
TOWN  IN  1834— THK  EARLY  LOG  CABINS-YANKEES  AND  YANKEE 
TRICKS— CORN  BREAD— ETC.,  ETC.,  ETC. 

BY  the  year  1830,  the  population  of  the 
State  had  increased  to  157,447,  and  was 
confined  mostly  to  the  borders  of  rivers  and 
creeks  and  woodlands.  As  yet  but  few  set- 
tlements had  been  made  anywhere  in  the  open 
prairies. 


The  early  settlers  were  apprehensive  of  a 
future  scarcity  of  wood,  and  carried  their 
fears  to  such  an  extent,  tliat  much  of  their 
money  was  invested  in  useless  woodland,  which 
they  needed  to  begin  farming  with.  But 
their  fears  in  this  respect  seems  now  to 
be  allayed,  as  it  has  been  shown  thiit  the  sup- 
ply increases  rather  than  diminishes.  Many  of 
those  who  for  the  sake  of  a  near  and  conven- 
ient supply  of  wood,  settled  in  and  along  the 
borders  of  the  timber-lands,  got  the  poorest 
of  the  farm  lands,  and  when  they  su]5posed  all 
the  good  lands  had  been  taken  up,  later  set- 
tlers came  in  and  entered  the  dry,  rolling 
prairie  lands,  and  thereby  got  the  best  farms, 
and  were  in  no  want  for  plenty  of  timber 
either. 

The  winter  of  1830-31  was  a  remarkable 
one,  and  will  always  be  remembered  by  old 
settlers  as  the  most  terrible  for  suffering  with- 
in their  memories.  The  snow  fell  at  first 
about  thirty  inches  deep,  then  the  weather 
settled,  and  another  snow  fell,  and  another, 
until  it  was  from  four  to  six  feet  deep.  In 
drifts  it  was  much  deeper.  Fences  were  cov- 
ered and  lanes  filled  up.  There  was  much 
suffering  everywhere.  Stock  died  for  want 
of  food.  Deer  stood  in  their  tracks  and  died. 
Prairie  chickens  and   quails  having  alighted 


in  the  snow,  could  not  get  out.  Man  was 
the  only  animal  that  could  walk,  and  game 
alone,  of  the  food  kind,  was  all  he  had  in 
plenty.  That  could  be  had  for  the  picking 
up  from  the  snow,  for  it  was  helpless.  But 
finally,  even  game  became  so  poor  from 
starvation  that  it  wai  unfit  for  food.  The 
snow  staid  on  the  ground  all  winter,  until 
March,  and  people  ran  short  of  everything, 
particularly  fuel.  Thomas  Beard,  recollect- 
ing a  widow  with  a  small  family  living  at  the 
bluffs,  generously  walked  out  there,  and 
found  her  and  her  family  on  the  verge  of 
starvation,  and  hovering  over  the  last  rem- 
nants of  a  fire,  she  having  used  all  her  fuel. 
Mr.  Beard  tore  up  some  fencing  and  chopped 
a  large  pile  of  wood  for  her,  and  afterwards 
carried  provisions  to  her  through  the  snow  on 
foot,  a  distance  of  seven  miles,  as  a  horse 
could  not  travel. 

What  little  corn  had  been  raised  in  the 
county,  was  generally  ungathered  when  the 
snow  came,  and  yet  in  the  fields,  and  men 
took  sacks  and  waded  out  into  their  fields 
and  gathered  and  carried  it  on  their  shoul- 
ders to  their  cabins,  and  to  their  horses,  cat- 
tle and  hogs,  feeding  it  to  them  as  they  best 
could.  The  snow  that  fell  first,  thawed  a 
little  on  top,  and  then  froze,  forming  a  crust 
which  would  break  upon  being  stepped  on 
by  man  or  beast.  Upon  this  there  fell  two 
feet  or  more  of  snow,  which  went  through 
the  same  process  of  thawing  and  freezing, 
leaving  a  c;ust  on  top  not  strong  enough  to 
be  r  much  weight.     Through  this  no   animal 


26 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


but  a  man  could  walk.  The  black-jack  tim- 
ber surrounding  Beaidstown  for  miles,  had 
been  a  favorite  resort  for  vast  numbers  of 
deer,  and  here  they  were  caught  in  this  ter- 
rible snow,  and  died,  being  unable  to  travel. 
From  this  time,  the  climate  changed  percept- 
ibly colder.  Previous  to  1831,  the  most  of 
the  pioneers  raised  sufficient  cotton  for  their 
own  use,  and  it  ripened  well,  but  subsequent 
to  the  deep  snow,  all  efforts  to  raise  it  in  this 
State  were  futile.  We  have  no  means  of  in- 
formation as  to  the  extent  of  country  covered 
by  this  deep  snow,  as  not  a  history  of  Illinois 
even  mentions  it,  which  leads  us  to  conclude 
tiiat  it  was  not  general,  but  confined  to  cen- 
tral Illinois,  or,  perhaps,  even  to  so  compar- 
atively small  a  surface  as  the  Sangamon 
country. 

In  1831  the  Indians  became  very  troublesome 
in  this  State,  and  threatened  to  overrun  the 
white  population.  They  were  led  by  Black 
Hawk,  their  chief  and  prophet,  who  pretended 
to  have  power  given  him  b}'  the  Great  Sjiirit 
to  destroy  the  pale-faces.  He  attacked  the 
whites  with  so  much  vigor  that  militia  com- 
panies were  formed  for  self-protection.  A 
battalion  of  this  militia,  of  275  men,  com- 
manded by  Major  Israel  Stillman,  of  Fulton 
County,  was,  on  the  1-lth  of  May,  183:i, 
attacked  by  Black  Hawk  on  a  small  branch  of 
the  Sycamore  Creek  and  badly  defeated  and 
cut  up.  This  was  called  the  battle  of  "Still- 
man's  Run."  The  first  call  which  Gov.  Rey- 
nolds made  for  troops  was  in  May,  1831,  for 
all  able-bodied  men  who  were  willing  to  fight 
the  Indians,  to  the  number  of  seven  hundred, 
to  rendezvous  at  Beardstown,  on  the  10th  day 
of  June.  "^  On  that  day  they  assembled  in 
Beardstown  in  three  times  that  number.  Gov. 
Reynolds  organized  them  at  once  by  appoint- 
ing Joseph  Duncan,  of  .lacksonville,  brigadier- 
general,  and  Enoch  C.  March,  of  Beardstown, 
quartermaster.  March  was  equal  to  the  oc- 
casion.    He  was  so  well  acquainted  with  this 


vicinity  that  ho  soon  furnished  the  necessary 
supplies.  But  Gov.  Reynolds  was  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  to  arm  those  who  had  not  brought 
rifles.  In  this  emergency,  Frances  Arenz 
came  to  the  rescue.  He  was  a  merchant  in 
Beardstown,  and  had  previously  purchased 
some  light  brass-barreled  fowling-pieces, 
which  had  been  manufactured  in  the  East  for 
a  South  American  government,  and  not  an- 
swering the  purpose  for  which  they  were  made 
they  were  shipped  West  to  shoot  birds  with. 
These  answered  excellently  for  arms  for  light 
horsemen  and  skirmishers.  The  troops  were 
encamped  above  town,  where  the  saw  mills 
now  stand,  until  they  took  up  their  march. 
In  their  ranks  were  some  of  the  best  men  of 
the  country. 

The  whole  briffade  was  organized  into  two 
regiments  and  two  battalions.  The  first  regi- 
ment was  commanded  by  Col.  James  D. 
Henry,  Lieutenant  Col.  John  T.  Stuart, 
Major  Thomas  Collins,  Adjutant  Edward 
Jones,  quartermaster,  and  Thomas  M.  Neal, 
paymaster.  The  captains  were  Adam  Smith, 
William  F.  Elkin,  A.  Morris,  Thomas  Carlin, 
Samuel  Smith,  John  Lorton  and  Samuel  C. 
Pearce. 

The  second  regiment  was  commanded  by 
Colonel  Daniel  Lieb,  Major  N.  Butler.  The 
captains  were  H.  Mathews,  John  Hanes, 
George  Bristow,  William  Gilham,  Capt. 
Kondall,  Alexander  Wells  and  William 
Weatherford,  usually  called  "  Old  Buck,"  of 
Morgan  County. 

The  odd  battalion  was  commanded  by  Major 
N.  Buckmaster,  James  Semple,  adjutant, 
Richard  Roman,  surgeon,  and  Joseph  Gilles- 
pie, paymaster. 

The  Spy  battalion  was  commanded  by  Gen- 
eral Samuel  Whiteside,  Major  Samuel  F. 
Kendall,  Adjutant  John  S.  Greathouse,  and 
Paymaster  P.  H.  Winchester.  Captains  Wil- 
liam B.  Whiteside,  William  Miller  and  Solo- 
mon P.  Witt.      The   little    army  started   on 


tifK^ 


M'^ 

W^^     ^r^ 


Mi: 


% 


-if: 


E^r^ 


■  -^ffyK3CTWi»..vV»aa!g-v^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


29 


tlieir  campaign  June  15,  1831,  for  Rock 
Island. 

We  will  relate  one  incident  only,  connected 
with  the  Black-Hawk  "War,  to  show  how  it 
affected  the  then  future  history,  of  at  least  a 
portion  of  Cass  County. 

David  Epler,  a  resident  of  North  Prairie  in 
this  county,  came  to  Beardstown  to  purchase 
two  barrels  of  salt.  He  drove  two  beautiful 
horses,  well  harnessed,  and  a  good  wagon; 
altogether  just  what  Col.  March  wanted  for 
war  material.  He  accordingly  seized  them, 
under  that  law  so  universally  adopted  in  war 
times,  that  "might  makes  right,"  and  took 
them  from  Mr.  Epler,  nolens  volens.  But 
Mr.  Epler  refused  to  give  them  up,  and,  his 
face  livid  with  anger,  declared  that  he  would 
defend  them  with  his  life,  and  that  the  colonel 
and  his  troops  would  have  to  walk  over  his 
dead  body  before  he  would  give  up  his  favor- 
ite team;  at  least,  until  he  was  paid  their 
value.  Col.  March  then  offered  to  pay  for 
them  what  two  disinterested  men  should  say 
they  were  worth.  This  was  agreed  to.  There 
were  then  stopping  in  Beardstown  two  com- 
parative strangers.  Dr.  Charles  Chandler  and 
a  man  named  Cr.awi'ord;  to  them  the  cause 
was  referred.  They,  having  come  from  the 
East,  were  wholly  unacquainted  with  the  low 
prices  of  this  new  country,  and  priced  the 
team  at  eastern  values,  which  Col.  March  felt 
in  honor  bound  to  abide  by,  and  the  conse- 
quence was  Mr.  Epler  got  $350  for  his  team, 
which  was  a  large  price  then. 

This  incident  leads  us  to  relate  how  Dr. 
Chandler  came  here.  He  left  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  had  a  good  practice  in  his  profes- 
sion, and  a  new  house  which  he  had  just  built, 
and  started  westward  with  his  family,  with 
the  intention  of  settling  at  Fort  Clark,  where 
Peoria  now  stands. 

When  the  steamer,  upon  which  he  came  up 
the  Illinois  River,  arrived  at  Beardstown  — 
tlia    h()stil'=!    attitude    of   the    Indians   in    the 


vicinity,  and  the  preparations  for  a  general 
Indian  war,  induced  the  captain  to  discharge 
his  passengers  and  freight  at  Beardstown,  he 
thinking  it  unsafe  to  go  any  further  north 
with  his  boat. 

While  here,  Dr.  Chandler  took  a  ride  up 
the  Sangamon  Bottom  with  Thomas  Beard, 
and  he  was  so  well  pleased  with  that  part  of 
it  where  Chandlerville  now  stands,  that  he 
determined  to  go  no  further  north,  but  to 
settle  there.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  1832. 
The  bottom  and  bluffs  had  been  burned  over, 
and  the  new,  fresh,  green  grass  and  beautiful 
flowers  had  sprung  up;  the  trees,  and  vines  and 
shrubbery  were  dressed  in  their  most  inviting 
foliase,  and  he  had  never  seen  so  beautiful  a 
sight.  In  a  short  time  he  took  his  wife  and  little 
daughter  to  see  their  future  home,  and  they 
were  equally  delighted  with  it.  Thei-e  was  a 
wagon  road  up  the  bottom,  winding  along  the 
bluffs,  in  about  the  same  place  it  now  does, 
hut  so  little  was  it  traveled  that  it  had  not 
hindered  the  fire  passing  over  it,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  road,  between  the  two  horse- 
paths, was  a  ridge  of  green  grass  mingled 
with  strawberry  vines,  which  lookeil  like  a 
row  of  cultivated  strawberries,  and  these 
right  in  the  road;  the  doctor  and  his  wife  and 
little  daughter  ate  in  abundance  the  large, 
ripe  berries.  The  doctor  entered  160  acres  of 
land  where  the  town  of  Chandlerville  now 
stands,  and  built  his  cabin  upon  the  site  of 
the  present  Congregational  Church.  He 
broke  up  three  acres  of  land  that  spring,  late 
as  it  was,'  and  raised  a  crop  of  buckwheat 
upon  it,  without  an\-  fence  around. 

There  was  a  universal  custom  among  the 
settlers  at  that  time,  that  every  man  should 
be  entitled  to  80  acres  of  land  on  each  side  of 
the  land  already  entered  by  him,  until  such 
time  as  he  was  able  to  enter  it,  as  it  was 
called,  or,  in  other  words,  until  he  could  raise 
money  enough  to  buy  it  from  the  Government 
at  ^1.35  per  acre  ;    and   it  was  considered  as 


80 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


mean  as  stealing  for  another  man  to  enter  it. 

Shortly  after  the  doctor  had  settled  there, 
a  man  stopped  there  named  English,  who  was 
so  well  pleased  with  the  prospect  that  he  con- 
cluded to  enter  land  and  settle  there.  The 
doctor  assisted  and  befriended  him  all  he 
could,  and,  to  induce  him  to  stop,  offered  to 
give  up  his  claim  to  one-half  of  the  eighty 
acre  tract,  next  to  the  land  that  English 
wanted,  and  let  him  enter  it.  English  told 
him  that  he  v.-as  going  to  Springfield  and 
enter  the  whole  tract ;  that  he  did  not  care 
for  the  customs  of  the  country  ;  and  that 
he  was  going  to  have  it  rigiit  or  wrong, 
and  started  for  Springfield.  All  of  Dr. 
Chandler's  expostulations  with  him  did  not 
avail  anything.  The  doctor  v?ent  to  his 
cabin  and  looked  over  his  little  pile  of 
money  and  found  that  he  had  fifty  dollars. 
He  thought  that  his  neighbor  MoAuly  had 
some  money,  and  saddling  his  best  horse,  he 
rode  to  McAuly's  house  and  borrowed  fiftv 
dollars  more.  Thus  provided,  he  too'k  a  dif- 
ferent route  through  the  woods  and  prairies 
from  that  chosen  by  English,  and  putting  his 
horse  to  his  best  speed,  started  for  the  Land 
Office. 

When  about  ten  miles  of  Springfield,  he 
overtook  two  young  men  on  horse  back,  and 
as  his  horse  was  foaming  with  perspiration, 
and  nearly  tired  out,  he  rode  slowly  along 
with  the  j'oung  men,  as  well  to  rest  his  horse, 
as  to  relate  to  them  the  cause  of  his  haste. 
When  he  told  them  of  the  meanness  of  the  man 
English,  one  of  the  young  men  was  so  indig- 
nant that  he  offered  the  doctor  his  own  compar- 
atively fresh  horse,  that  he  might  make  all  haste 
and  thwart  the  efforts  of  English,  while  the 
young  man  would  ride  the  doctor's  horse 
slowly  into  town.  But  the  doctor  rode  his 
own  horse,  got  safely  to  the  Land  Office  and 
entered  the  land  before  English  got  there. 
Sometime  after  that  he  wanted  to  have  his 
land  surveyed,  and  the  county  surveyor  lived 


at  Jacksonville,  but  a  neighbor  told  him  that 
there  was  a  better  surveyor  living  at  Salem,  in 
Sangamon  County,  named  Abraham  Lincoln. 
So  the  doctor  sent  for  him,  and  when  he 
came  with  his  implements  to  do  the  surveying, 
the  doctor  found  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  the 
surveyor,  was  the  same  young  man  who  had 
so  kindly  offered  to  lend  him  his  horse,  so 
that  he  might  defeat  the  rascally  man  English. 

Dr.  Chandler  was  the  first  physician  in  Cen- 
tral Illinois  who  adopted  quinine  in  his  prac- 
tice as  a  reniedy;  the  first  who  introduced 
the  practice  of  the  infliction  of  bodily  pain 
as  a  remedy  for  overdoses  of  opium  ;  and 
the  first  who  opposed  bleeding  as  a  remedy. 
When  he  went  to  Sangamon  Bottom,  he  was 
called  into  practice  before  he  could  build  a 
stable,  and  for  weeks,  when  at  home,  tied  his 
horse  to  a  tree  and  pulled  grass  to  feed  him 
on,  having  no  scythe  to  cut  it  with.  He  built 
the  first  frame  house  within  the  present  limits 
of  this  co'jnty.  It  was  10x13  feet,  one-story, 
and  shingled  with  split  and  shaved  oak  shin- 
gles, which  made  a  good  roof  for  twentj'-five 
years — a  fact  worthy  of  notice.  He  built  it 
for  a  drug  store  and  office,  and  it  is  still  in 
existence.  In  1836,  he  built  his  present  large 
residence.  His  reason  for  building  so  large 
a  house  at  that  early  day  was,  that  it  was  ex- 
act'y  like  the  one  ho  had  built  and  left  in 
Rhode  Island;  and  as  his  family  had  sacri- 
ficed so  much  in  leaving  their  comfortable 
home  for  the  wilds  of  the  West,  he  wished  to 
make  a  home  as  near  like  their  former  one  as 
possible. 

In  1833,  Jackson  was  President  ;  John 
Reynolds,  Governor;  and  Clay  and  Webster 
were  in  their  glory.  Beardstown  was  quite  a 
flourishing  town,  and  the  port  on  the  river 
from  which  most  towns  in  the  interior  of  the 
State  got  their  supplies  of  goods,  and  from 
which  their  produce  was  shipped  to  market. 

In  that  year  Francis  Arenz  began  publish- 
ing the  first  newspaper  north  of  Jacksonville 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


31 


and  south  of  Chicago,  entitled,  The  Beards- 
lown  Chronicle andlllinois Military  Bounty 
Land  Advertiser.  This  paper  did  the  ad- 
vertising for  the  counties  of  Mason,  Warren, 
Brown,  Schuyler,  McDonough,  Stark,  Knox, 
and  Fulton,  as  there  were  no  newspapers 
printed  in  those  counties.  There  were  no 
lawyers  in  Beardstown  then,  but  those  usually 
consulted  by  our  citizens  were:  John  J.  Har- 
din, Walter  Jones,  Aaron  B.  Fontaine,  Josiah 
Lamljorn,  and  Murray  McConnell  of  Jackson- 
ville, and  William  H.  Richardson  of  Rush- 
ville. 

In  183.3,  there  was  not  a  single  merchant 
north  of  the  Mauvistarre,  outside  of  Beards- 
town,  and  not  one  advertised  in  The  Beards- 
toion  Chronicle;  and  money  was  so  scarce 
tiiat  it  was  almost  impossible  for  any  kind  of 
business  to  be  transacted.  Francis  Arenz 
humorously  ascribes  the  phenomenon  of  the 
great  meteoric  shower  of  that  year,  to  the 
fact,  that  a  day  or  two  previously  a  subscriber 
had  paid  him  two  dollars,  all  in  cash,  for  a 
year's  subscription  to  the  Chronicle. 

The  names  of  the  steamers  which  navigated 
the  Illinois  River  in  1833-34,  were  the  Peoria, 
E.xchange,  Ottawa,  Ceres,  Utility,  Cavalier, 
Express,  Black  Hawk,  and  Olive  Branch. 

James  B.  Kenner  kept  the  Bounty  Land 
Hotel  at  Beard's  Landing,  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  river,  opposite  Beardstown. 

Prices  of  staples  in  1833,  at  Beardstown, 
were  :  Flour,  imported,  per  barrel,  |i4.;i5; 
wheat,  in  90  days,  per  bushel,  50c.;  wheat, 
cash,  per  bushel,  45.;  salt,  per  bushel,  75c.; 
corn,  per  bushel,  13  to  16c. ;  beans,  per  bushel, 
50c.;  whisky,  per  gallon,  48c.;  pork,  per  lb., 
2|c.;  butter,  per  lb.,  10c. ;  beef,  per  lb.,  'l^c; 
cigars,  per  10  JO,  $1;  cigars,  per  box,  best,  |il. 

The  business  men  of  Beardstown  in  1834, 
Avere:  Francis  Arenz,  L.  W.  Talmage  &  Co., 
T.  &  J.  S.  Wibourne,  J.  M.  Merchant  &  Co., 
Haywood  Read,  J.  Parrott  &  Co.,  merchants; 
Juhn  Alfred,  M.  Kingsbury,  and  Liscomb  & 


Buckle,  tailors;  J.  Roulstoii,  hat  maker;  Henry 
Boemler,  cabinet  maker;  M.  McCreary,  cooper; 
Malony  &  Smith,  forwarding  and  commission 
business;  Knapp  and  Pogue,  steam  mill;  Gat- 
ton,  Judson  &  Elliott.  Tiiere  were  also:  ]3r. 
J.  W.  Fitch,  Dr.  Owen  M.  Long,  Dr.  Chas. 
Hochstetter,  and  Dr.  Rue. 

As  descriptive  of  the  business  of  Beards- 
town, we  will  quote  the  following  extract 
from/an  editorial  in  the  Beardstown  Chron- 
icle oiU&xch  1,  1834: 

"  Since  the  opening  of  the  river,  there  has 
been  shipped  from  this  place,  1,502  barrels  of 
flour  and  150  barrels  of  pork.  Ready  for 
shipment  at  the  warehouses  at  this  time,  581 
barrels  of  flour,  400  barrels  of  pork,  and  150 
kefS   of  lard.     This   is  a  fair  commencement 

o 

of  exporting  surplus  produce  from  a  country 
where  a  few  years  ago  many  of  such  articles 
were  imported.  Two  steam  flouring  mills 
and  one  steam  saw  mill  are  now  in  operation. 
A  large  brewery  and  distillery  are  being  built, 
with  a  grist  mill.  Besides,  arrangements  are 
being  made  for  building  ware,  store,  and 
dwelling  houses.  Four  years  ago  only  three 
families,  residing  in  log  huts,  lived  in  this 
place,  and  now,  we  venture  to  assert,  more 
business  is  transacted  in  this  town  tiian  any 
other  place  in  the  State." 

The  old  brick  school  house  in  Beards- 
town, since  a  part  of  Dr.  Theo.  Hoffman's 
premises,  was  built  in  1834,  by  Beard  and 
Arenz,  and  presented  by  them  to  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  for  many  years  was  the  only  place 
for  public  meetings. 

At  that  time  great  stress  was  laid  upon  the 
nagavibility  of  the  Sangamon  River,  as  boats 
frequently  passed  up  and  down  that  stream. 
(In  1833,  a  steamboat  of  the  larger  class  went 
up  the  Sangamon  to  within  five  miles  of 
Springfield,  and  discharged  its  cargo  there. 

The  farm  houses,  just  previous  to  the  or- 
ganizing of  Cass  County,  were  mostly  built  of 
logs,  and   in    many   cases,    innocent   of  glass. 


32 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


The  doors  were  made  of  puncheon  or  split 
logs,  as  saw  mills  wei'e  few  and  far  between. 
The  fire-places  were  made  of  logs  filled  up 
with  clay  dug  from  beneath  tlie  iloors.  A 
temporary  wall  would  be  built  about  two  feet 
inside  the  log  wall;  the  space  then  filled  with 
earth,  and  wetted,  was  pounded  or  rammed 
down  solid.  The  inner  wall  was  then  taken 
away  and  a  fire  built  inside,  which  baked  the 
jams  like  brick.  Then  this  was  surmounted 
with  a  stick  an  1  clay  chimney,  a  pole  was  run 
across  to  hang  ketth>s  on;  and  the  chinks  be- 
tween the  logs  of  tlie  house  were  filled  up 
with  sticks,  cliiy,  and  cho|)ped  straw.  The 
doors  and  roof  of  the  house  were  made  of 
split  boards,  and  frequently  not  a  nail  or  any 
iron  was  used  in  the  whole  house.  The  roof- 
boards  were  kept  in  their  places  by  logs 
weighing  tlieni  down;  the  doors,  held  together 
by  wooden  pins,  hung  on  wooden  hinges,  and 
latched  witli  wooden  latches.  The  houses 
generally  had  but  one  room  an<l  two  doors, 
but  no  window.  Usually  one  door  of  the 
house  was  left  open,  no  matter  how  cold  the 
weather  was,  to  admit  light;  and  rarely  both 
doors  were  closed,  except  when  the  family 
were  about  to  retire  to  rest.  So  habituated 
were  people  to  open  doors,  that  that  custom 
prevailed  even  after  the  introduction  of  glass 
into  the  cabins,  for  wimlows.  It  is  related, 
that  on  a  very  cold  dny,  an  eastern  man  who 
was  visiting  a  friend  at  his  log  cabin,  proposed 
to  close  the  door  to  make  the  house  warmer. 
The  proprietor  expressed  his  surprise  at  the 
proposition,  but  did  not  object  to  try  it  as  an 
experiment.  After  the  door  had  been  shut  a 
few  minutes,  he  seemed  much  pleased  with 
the  result,  and  said,  "  Well,  I  declare!  I  be- 
lieve it  does  make  a  difference." 

A  rural  poet  has  truthfully  stated  that — 
"In  every  country  village  where 

Ten  chimneys'  smoke  perfume  the  air 
Contiguous  to  a  steeple. 

Great  getit'e-f'olks  are  fount!  a  score, 

AVho  can' I  associate  any  more 
With  common  country  people." 


So  even  in  our  early  days  we  had  some 
aristocrats.  Occasionally  a  man  was  found 
that  built  his  house  of  hewn  logs,  and  had 
sawn  jilanks  for  his  floor,  and  perhaps  a  glass 
window.  And  then  some  ambitious  neigh- 
bor must  overtop  him,  and  the  wonderful  pal- 
atial double-log-house,  with  a  porch  between, 
appeared.  By  the  youngsters  this  seemed  ex- 
travagant and  useless  ;  but  the  surprise  of 
everybody  was  Dr.  Chandler's  large,  well-fiii- 
islied  frame  house.  Even  beds  were  more 
accommodating  then  than  now,  and  would 
hold  many  more  occupants.  There  was  one, 
usually,  in  each  of  two  corners  in  every  log 
cabin,  and  under  each  of  these  was  a  trundle- 
bed  which  pulled  out  at  night  ;  and  then 
there  was  bedding  to  spare  in  most  houses, 
and  when  friends  called  and  stayed  all  night, 
which  they  usually  did,  9.  field-bed  was  made 
that  accommodated  all.  When  meal  time 
came,  a  large  amount  of  good  wholesome 
provender  woukl  be  supplied,  considering  the 
few  cooking  utensils  that  were  used.  Even 
in  well-to-do  families  the  articles  for  cooking 
consisted  of  a  Dutch  oven,  which  was  simply 
a  shallow  kettle,  with  a  cover  made  for 
holding  hot  coals,  in  which  first  the  bread 
and  then  the  meat  was  cooked,  a  coffee- 
pot, and  a  kettle  to  cook  vegetables,  when 
they  had  any.  Wheat  bread  was  scarce,  and 
corn  bread  was  universally  used.  When 
bread  was  spoken  of  without  a  prefix,  corn 
bread  was  meant  ;  any  other  kind  being  des- 
ignated as  v}Jieat  bread  or  rye  bread.  I  rec- 
ollect a  circumstance  which  will  illustrate 
how  corn  bread  was  respected.  When  Major 
Miller  kept  the  Western  Hotel  in  Jackson- 
ville, in  1836,  there  was  a  saloon,  then  called 
a  grocery,  under  it  called  "  Our  House."  A 
Yankee,  who  had  been  stopping  with  the 
Major,  called  into  the  grocery  to  get  his  bit- 
ters, and  outraged  the  thirsty  customers  at  the 
bar  by  an  offensive  allusion  to  the  corn  bread 
he  had  had  sot  before  him  at  the  hotel  table, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


33 


stating  among  other  remarks,  that  corn  bread 
was  only  fit  for  hogs  to  eat.  At  this  an  irri- 
table native  took  offense  ;  he  peeled  off  his 
coat,  and  sijuared  his  brawny  shoulders  before 
the  astonished  Yankee,  and  said,  "See  yer, 
stranger,  I  don't  know  who  you  are,  and  I 
don't  keer  a  durn,  nuther ;  but  I'll  have 
you  understand  that  the  man  that  makes  fun 
of  corn  bread  makes  fun  of  the  principal 
part  of  my  living."  It  was  with  considerable 
difficulty  that  a  fuss  was  prevented,  and  then 
only  by  the  Yankee  apologizing  and  treating 
the  crowd  to  the  drinks. 

While  speaking  of  Yankees,  I  might  just 
as  well  say,  that  this  part  of  Morgan  County 
was  settled  principally  by  citizens  from  south 
of  the  Potomac  and  Ohio  rivers;  and  a  strong 
prejudice  was  felt  against  people  from  New 
England,  who  were  all  denominated  "  Yan- 
kees ;  "  and,  to  be  just,  candor  compels  me  to 
admit  that  the  representatives  of  the  descend- 
ants of  the  pilgrim  fathers,  who  peddled 
clocks  and  tinware,  and  notions,  and  essences, 
and  the  like,  through  this  part  of  the  country 
at  that  time,  were  not  calculated  in  every 
instance  to  inspire  any  high  respect  for  them 
as  a  class. 

Fitz  Greene  Halleck,  the  poet,  writes  of 
them  as 

"  Apostates,  who  are  meddling 
With     merchandise,    pounds,     shillings,     pence,    and 

peddling  ; 
Or,  wandering  through  southern  countries,  teaching 

The  A,  B,  C,  from  Webster's  spelling  book  ; 
Gallant  and  godly,  making  love,  and  preaching, 

And  gaining,  by  what  they  call  "hook  and  crook," 
And  what  the  moralists  call  overreaching, 

A  decent  living.     The  Virginians  look 
Upon  them  with  as  favorable  eyes 
As  Gabriel  on  the  devil  in  paradise." 

In  fact,  a  mean  trick  was  always  expected 
from  a  Yankee  ;  while  there  is  reason  to  be- 
lieve that,  really,  there  were  sometimes  just  as 
mean  things  done  by  persons  from  other  por- 
tions of  the  nation.     To  illustrate  :     About 


forty-five  years  ago,  I  attended  a  wolf  hunt  on 
Indian  Creek.  There  were  about  a  hundred 
of  us,  on  horseback,  up  on  a  rise  in  the  tim- 
ber, waiting  to  hear  from  the  hounds,  and 
passing  the  time  in  conversation.  The  sub- 
ject of  discussion,  a  not  unusual  one,  was  the 
Yankees,  and  each  man  had  a  story  to  tell  of 
some  Yankee  trick.  Finally,  old  Uncle  Bob 
Martin,  who  had  but  one  eye,  but  was,  never- 
theless, quite  an  oracle  in  such  matters,  had 
his  say  in  this  wise  :  "Well,  gentlemen,  I'll 
tell  yer  what  it  is.  I've  seed  a  heap  'er  Yan- 
kees in  my  day,  and  I  know  all  about  'em. 
I  know  'em  like  a  book,  inside  and  out,  and  I 
tell  yer  what  it  is,  gentlemen,  all  the  Yankees 
don't  come  from  New  England,  nuther,  not 
by  a  durn  sight.  And  the  meanest  Yankee  I 
ever  seed,  gentlemen,  was  a  Kanetucky 
Yankee." 

I  said  corn  bread  was  the  principal  article 
of  diet  then.  But  there  were  various  kinds 
of  corn  bread.  That  most  in  use  was  corn 
dodger.  This  was  simply  made  of  corn  meal, 
hot  water  and  a  little  salt,  stirred  together  to 
the  consistency  of  dough;  then  a  double  hand- 
ful was  rounded,  flatted,  and  placed  in  a  hot 
Dutch  oven,  surrounded  with  glowing  embers. 
An  oven  would  hold  three  or  four  of  these, 
and  they  were  cooked  so  quickly  that  a  woman 
could  keep  quite  a  large  number  of  hungry 
men  in  business.  Then  there  was  the  pump- 
kin bread,  made  by  mixing  pumpkins  and 
meal,  and  the  pone.  This  last  was  considered 
suitable  for  kings,  and  I  must  tell  j'ou  how  it 
was  made.  It  was  thus:  Take  as  much  corn 
meal  as  is  wanted  for  use;  sift  it;  put  it  in  an 
iron  kettle  and  pour  on  it  boiling  water;  stir 
it  till  it  becomes  well  mixed  and  quite  thin; 
this  being  right,  let  it  remain  in  the  same  ves- 
sel till  morning,  and  if  kept  warm  it  will  be 
well  fermented  (which  is  necessary);  then  put 
it  into  a  hot  Dutch  oven,  it  being  heated  be- 
fore the  dough  is  put  in  it;  apply  good  live 
embers  on  the  lid  of  the  oven  as  well  as  under 


S4 


HISTORY  OF  CASS   COUNTY. 


it,  being  careful  not  to  burn  it.  These  were 
s^metimes  baked  in  hot  ashes  and  embers, 
without  an  oven.  These  were  called  ash- 
pones. 

Butter  was  not  conuiion,  except  in  the 
spring  and  summer;  but  large  quantities  of 
fat  bacon  and  hams  were  used  instead,  which 
were  kept  the  year  round,  in  the  smoke  houses, 
one  of  which  every  family  had.  Potatoes  were 
unknown  for  many  years;  and  when  they 
were  introduced,  they  were  at  first  very  un- 
popular. People  that  ate  them  were  stigma- 
tized as  Irish.  Deer,  prairie-chickens  and 
other  game,  as  well  as  domestic  fowls,  were 
very  plenty  and  much  used  for  food. 

The  principal  clothing  worn  by  the  men 
was  of  Kentucky  and  homo  made  jeans,  made 
into  pants  and  hunting  shirts.  Under-clothing 
was  hardly  ever  worn,  even  in  winter,  and 
overcoats,  never;  yet  men  seemed  as  warm  and 
comfortable  then  as  they  do  now,  with  under- 
garments and  overcoats.  The  ladies  dressed 
principally  in  linscy  of  their  own  weaving. 
1  well  recollect  when  calico  was  first  gener- 
ally worn.  Patterns  with  large  flowery  fig- 
ures were  preferred;  and  although  our  prairies 
were  covered  all  over  in  profusion  with  the 
most  beautiful  of  flowers,  like  unto  a  garden 
of  the  gods,  yet,  I  must  admit,  the  prettiest 
flowers  or,  at  least,  the  most  attractive  were 
those  printed  upon  calico.  And  I  might  ad- 
mit further,  that  they  are  not  altogether  dis- 
pleasing to  most  men  even  now.  At  the 
huskings,  weddings,  meetings,  and  merry- 
makings, the  girls  looked  as  pretty  then,  in 
their  home-made  suits  as  they  do  now,  though 
arrayed  in  all  the  gaud  and  glory  of  the  mil- 
liner. 

The  principal  occasions  of  great  public 
gatherings  were  political  discussions;  for, 
either  fortunately  or  unfortunately  (and  which 
it  is  is  a  great  moral  question),  there  never 
was  a  man  hung  witiiin  the  limits  of  this 
county  at  the  hands  of  justice,  so  the  public 


have  never  been  called  together  out  of  curi- 
osity on  that  account.  Among  our  public 
speakers  at  that  time  were:  Lincoln,  Hardin 
Baker,  Lamborn,  Richardson,  and  more  lat- 
terly, Yates  and  Douglas,  besides  many  from 
a  distance.  Besides  these  occasions,  we  had 
preaching  in  the  schoolhouses  and  barns  and 
groves.  Often  have  some  of  us,  now  living, 
listened  to  Re  idick  Horn,  Cyrus  Wright 
Peter  Cartwright,  "  Old  Man  Hammaker,"  of 
North  Prairie,  and  many  others.  How  many 
of  the  old  settlers  recollect  Old  Father  Doyle, 
who  used  to  shout  "power  "  until  the  far-off 
woods  rang,  and  the  hills  sent  back  the  echo. 
Oh !  those  public  meetings  in  the  woods; 
how  grand  they  were  !  Bryant  sings  of  them 
and  says — 

"  The  groves  were  God's  first  temples. 

Ah  !  why  should  we  in  the  world's  riper  years  neglect 

God's  ancient  sanctuaries,  and  adore 

Only  among  the  crowd,  and  under  roofs 

That  our  frail  hands  have  raised." 

There  used  to  be  a  famous  camp  meeting 
ground  for  many  years  at  "  Uncle  "  William 
Holmes',  northeast  of  Virginia,  and  people 
attended  it  from  twenty  miles  around.  When 
this  county  was  first  formed,  there  were  but 
few  farms  on  North  Prairie,  except  those 
skirting  the  edge  of  the  timber;  and  a  man 
could  cross  it  anywhere  on  horseback,  led 
only  by  Indian  trails,  or  the  points  of  timber. 
For  instance,  a  man  could  start  from  the 
Jacksonville  road  at  Yaples  or  Peterfish's 
farm,  south  of  where  Virginia  now  is,  and  go 
straight  to  Holmes'  camp  ground,  a  distance 
of  about  ten  miles,  northeast,  and  not  pass  a 
fence. 

In  1835,  the  Beardstown  and  Sangamon 
Canal  Company  were  incorporated,  and  there 
was  considerable  interest  taken  in  that  work. 

In  ]  83G,  on  the  16th  day  of  June,  Dr.  H. 
H.  Hall  laid  out  and  platted  the  town  of  Vir- 
ginia, he  having  entered  the  land  upon  which 
it  stands  a  short  time  previously.        _ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


35 


At  this  early  date,  before  there  were  any- 
other  towns  than  Beardstown,  localities  were 
known  by  other  names,  as  for  instance,  Rob- 
inson's Mills,  Panther  Creek,  Miller's  Ferry, 
Schoonover's  Ford,  North  Prairie,  Jersey 
Prairie  or  Workman  Post-office,  Panther  or 
Painter  Grove,  as  it  was  called;  Painter 
Creek  Post-office,  where  Chandlerville  is  now; 
Little  Painter,  Middle  Creek  Settlement,  Fly 
Point,  Sylvan  Grove,  Puncheon  Camp,  Lynn 
Grove,  etc. 

In    1835,   The   Jacksonville    &    Meredosia 


railroad  was  incorporated  by  the  legislature 
of  Illinois,  which  was  the  first  railroad  built 
west  of  the  Alleghenies. 

About  this  time,  the  Sangamon  and  Spoon 
rivers,  and  Crooked  Creek  to  Henly's  mill 
were  declared  navigable  by  the  State. 

The  manner  of  voting  at  that  time  was 
viva  voce,  the  elector  announcing  to  the  judges 
and  clerks  of  the  election,  in  plain  voice,  the 
man  or  measure  he  intended  to  vote  for,  so 
that  it  was  publicly  known  how  each  man 
voted. 


o(3 


mSTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  CASS  COUNTY— THE  CONVENTION  AT  RUSHVILLE— LEGISLATIVE  ACT 
CREATING  THE  COUNTY— OTHER  ACTS— FIRST  ELECTION  FOR  OFFICERS— THE  NUM- 
BER OF  VOTERS— AN  INCIDENT  OF  A  WOLF-THE  COLD  DAY  OF  1837— LOCA- 
TION  OF  THE   COUNTY   SEAT— SCARCITY   OF   MONEY— THE  COUNTY 
MACHINERY  PUT  IN  MOTION— THE  COURTS— TROUBLE  FROM 
HORSE  THIEVES— EUGENE  HONORIUS— THE  CENSUS,  ETC. 

State,  Vandalia  or  Alton  would  gain  it.  The 
people  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  State 
were  willing  to  sacrifice  Peoria,  but  the  people 
of  Central  Illinois  were  divided  between 
Springfield  and  Jacksonville.  There  was  a 
growing  feeling,  however,  in  favor  of  Spring- 
field, as  being  the  most  available  ;  and  a  con- 
vention was  called  by  the  central  and  northern 
counties,  to  meet  at  Rushville,  on  the  7th  day 
of  April,  1834,  to  unite  on  one  point  to  sup- 
port for  the  State  capital.  Jacksonville  was 
opposed  to  this,  and  favored  the  deferring 
the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to 
some  future  time,  hoping  to  gain  strength  by 
this  line  of  policy.  Consequently,  Jackson- 
ville refused  to  take  part  in  the  Rushville 
convention,  while  the  northern  part  of  the 
county  met  at  Beardstown,  decided  to  take  part 
in  the  convention,  and  elected  Archibald  Job 
and  Thomas  Beard  to  represent  them  there, 
which  they  afterwards  did.  This  occasioned 
a  discussion  between  the  newspaper  of  Jack- 
sonville, conducted  by  Josiah  Lamborn,  and 
the  Chronicle  on  the  part  of  Beardstown, 
by  Francis  Arenz. 

To  show  the  state  of  this  feeling  as  early  as 
1834,  the  following  is  from  the  Chronicle 
of  March  35th,  of  that  year: 

"  In  the  '  Chronicle,'  No.  35,  we  published 
the  preamble  and  resolutions  adopted  at  a 
public  meeting  held  in  Beardstown  on  the 
20th  of  February  last.  In  one  of  the  resolu- 
tions, Archibald  Job  and  Thomas  Beard  were 


ABOUT  this  time  there  became  a  gradually 
growing  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  in  this 
the  northern  part  of  Morgan  County,  with  the 
management  of  county  aiFairs  at  Jacksonville. 
It  seemed  to  the  people  here,  that  Morgan 
County  was  ruled  by  Jacksonville,  and  that  that 
village  was  ruled  by  a  clique,  or  ring,  as  it 
would  now  be  called.  This  feeling  became 
more  conspicuous,as  at  that  time  the  removal  of 
the  State  capital  was  being  worked  up.  It  was 
provided  in  the  Constitution  of  1818,  while  the 
capital  was  at  Kaskaskia,  that  the  Legislature 
should  locate  a  newtown,  which  should  be  the 
capital  for  twenty  years.  This  the  Legislature 
did,  and  named  the  place  Vandalia.  The 
constitutional  limit  of  that  location  was  fast  ap- 
])roaching,  and  anew  seat  of  government  was 
to  be  selected. 

A  statute  was  passed  February  5,  1833, 
providing,  that  after  the  expiration  of  the 
time  prescribed  by  the  constitution  for  the 
seat  of  government  remaining  at  Vandalia, 
the  people  should  vote  for  one  of  the  follow- 
ing named  places  for  the  permanent  seat  of 
government,  to- wit:  "  The  geographical  centre 
of  the  State,"  Jacksonville,  Springfield,  Alton, 
Vandalia,  and  Peoria,  and  the  point  receiving 
the  highest  number  of  votes  should  forever 
remain  the  seat  of  government.  The  south- 
ern part  of  the  State  was  at  that  time  most 
thickly  settled,  and  it  soon  became  evident 
that,  unless  the  people  of  Central  Illinois 
united  upon  a  town  in   their  portion  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUXTY. 


37 


appointed  to  attend  as  delegates  at  Ruslivllle, 
on  the  first  Monday  of  April  next,  to  repre- 
sent the  wishes  of  the  people  in  the  northern 
part  of  Morgan  County. 

"  In  our  last  number  we  published  the  pro- 
ceedings of  a  meeting  held  in  Jacksonville  on 
the  3d  inst.  One  of  the  resolutions  adopted 
at  that  meeting,  declares,  that  '  from  the  neu- 
tral position  of  Morgan  County  in  relation  to 
locality  and  interest,  it  is  inexpedient,  at  this 
time,  for  citizens  of  our  county  to  send  dele- 
gates to  the  convention  proposed  to  be  held 
on  the  first  Monday  of  April  next.' 

"We  also  published  a  letter  from  J.  Lam- 
born,  Esq.,  to  the  editor  of  this  paper,  ex- 
planatory of  the  views  and  feelings  of  those 
attending  the  Jacksonville  meeting  towards 
their  fellow  citizens  of  the  northern  part  of 
Morgan  County,  who  composed  the  Beards- 
town  meeting;  but  as  this  letter  was  not  part 
of  the  proceedings  at  Jacksonville,  and  the 
resolutions  adopted  are  contrary  and  in  op- 
position to  the  friendly  feelings  privately  ex- 
pressed by  Mr.  Lamborn,  we  have  to  take  the 
sentiments  as  expressed  by  the  meeting. 

"  The  meeting  at  Beardstown  was  composed 
of  freemen.  They  acted  for  themselves,  and 
appointed  two  delegates  to  represent  their 
wishes  at  the  proposed  convention,  leaving 
four  delegates  to  be  chosen  in  other  parts  of 
Morgan  County.  If  our  fellow  citizens  at 
Jacksonville,  and  in  the  southern  and  western 
parts  of  the  county,  did  not  choose  to  send 
delegates,  no  objection  or  dissatisfaction 
would  have  been  entertained;  but  a  meeting 
composed  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  indi- 
viduals at  Jacksonville  and  vicinity  (being  ac- 
quainted with  the  sentiments  expressed  here), 
have  assumed  to  indicate  in  their  resolution 
that  it  is  inexpedient^  at  this  time,  for  the 
citizens  of  our  county  to  send  delegates.  To 
this  decree  the  citizens  of  the  north  will  not 
submit.  We  unhesitatingly  say,  that  two 
delegates   will   attend    and    represent   their 


wishes.  We  believe  the  time  has  gone  by 
when  a  few  leaders  of  Jacksonville  controlled 
the  votes  of  Morgan  County;  and  we  would 
advise  those  who  have  influence  in  and  about 
Jacksonville,  to  use  it  with  discretion.  The 
people  north  of  Indian  Creek,  and  we  doubt 
not  in  other  parts  of  the  county,  understand 
their  own  interest,  and  will  act  accordingly." 

The  convention  was  held  at  Rushville  at  the 
appointed  time,  and  such  united  action  was 
taken  as  eventuated  in  the  passage  of  a 
statute  on  the  3d  day  of  February,  1837, 
which  permanently  located  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment at  Springfield,  and  Archibald  Job, 
of  this  county,  A.  G.  Henry  and  Thomas 
Hunghan  were  appointed  commissioners  to 
superintend  the  erection  of  the  State  House. 

At  the  very  same  session  which  removed 
the  capital,  on  the  3d  day  of  March,  1837,  a 
bill  was  passed  that  the  people  of  Morgan 
County  should,  on  the  third  Monday  of  April 
of  that  year,  vote  for  and  against  the  division 
of  that  county,  on  the  line  running  through 
the  middle  of  townships  seventeen,  north, 
and  in  case  the  vote  favored  it,  all  north  of 
that  line  to  constitute  a  new  county,  to  be 
called  the  county  of  Cass  ;  that  the  county 
seat  should  be  at  Beardstown,  until  the  peo- 
ple should  permanently  locate  the  county 
seat  by  election;  and  the  school  fund  should 
be  divided  according  to  the  number  of  the 
townships  between  the  two  counties. 

We  will  here  insert  this,  and  other  statutes 
concerning  the  early  history  of  Cass  county, 
for  the  reason  that  the  books  in  which  they 
are  contained  are  probably  not  to  be  found 
in  Cass  county,  outside  of  our  library,  and 
are  not  for  sale  anywhere,  and  they  will  proba- 
bly never  be  reprinted,  and  are  very  rarely 
found  except  in  the  State  libraries.  By  re- 
printing them  here  they  will  be  preserved. 

AN    ACT  FOE  THE  FORMATION  OF  THE    COtJNTY 
OF   CASS — IX   FORCE    MARCH "3,  1837. 

Sec.  1.     Be  it  enacted  b>j  the  people  of  the 


38 


HISTORY   OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


State  of  Illinois,  represented  in  the  General 
Assembly,  That  all  that  tract  of  country 
within  the  following  boundaries  to  wit:  Be- 
ginning at  a  point  in  the  centre  of  the  main 
channel  of  the  Illinois  river,  where  a  line 
running  through  the  centre  of  townships 
seventeen  north  intersects  the  same,  in  range 
thirteen,  west  of  the  third  principal  meridian, 
thence  east  with  said  line  to  the  east  side  of 
the  county  of  Morgan,  from  thence  north  to 
the  centre  of  the  main  channel  of  the  San- 
gamon river,  thence  down  said  river  to  the 
centre  of  the  main  channel  of  the  Illinois 
river,  thence  down  said  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning,  shall  constitute  a  new  county  to  be 
called  the  county  of   Cass. 

Sec.  3.  The  county  aforesaid  is  created 
upon  the  following  conditions:  The  people 
of  the  county  of  Morgan  as  the  same  is  now 
organized,  shall  meet  at  the  several  places  for 
holding  elections  for  Representatives  and 
Senators  in  said  county,  on  the  third  Monday 
of  April  next,  and  proceed  to  vote  in  the 
same  manner  of  voting  for  Representatives 
and  Senators  to  the  general  assembly,  whether 
said  county  shall  be  created  or  not.  The 
judges  of  elections  in  said  county  shall  give 
twenty  days'  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of 
holding  said  elections,  by  posting  notices 
thereof  at  six  public  places  in  the  county,  and 
on  said  day  shall  open  a  poll  book  at  each 
election  precinct,  in  which  they  shall  rule  two 
columns,  in  one  of  which  they  shall  set  down 
the  votes  given  for  the  creation  of  said  county, 
and  in  the  other  column  the  votes  given 
against  the  same,  and  said  judges  shall  conduct 
said  election,  and  make  returns  to  the  clerk  of 
the  county  commissioners'  court  of  Morgan 
County,  in  the  same  manner  as  is  now  pro- 
vided by  law  in  the  case  of  elections  for  Sen- 
ators and  Representatives  for  the  general  as- 
sembly, and  said  returns  shall  be  opened  and 
counted  in  the  same  manner  as  in  such  elec- 
tions, and  if  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  given 


at  said  election  shall  be  in  favor  of  the  crea- 
tion of  said  county,  a  certificate  thereof  shall 
be  made  by  the  clerk  of  said  county  com- 
missioners' court,  under  the  seal  of  said  court, 
and  transmitted  by  him  to  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  to 
be  filed  in  his  office  as  evidence  of  the  exist- 
ence of  said  county,  and  said  clerk  shall  make 
a  like  certificate  and  file  the  same  in  his  of- 
fice, which  shall  be  entered  of  record  at  the 
next  succeeding  term  of  the  said  County 
Commissioners  Court,  and  shall  be  sufficient 
to  prove  the  facts  therein  stated,  after  which 
said  county  shall  be  one  of  the  counties  of  the 
State  of  Illinois.  The  Clerk  of  the  Commis- 
sioners Court  of  Morgan  County  shall  cause 
a  notice  of  said  election  to  be  published  in  all 
the  newspapers  published  in  the  County  of 
Morgan. 

Sec.  3.  If  said  county  shall  be  created  as 
aforesaid,  the  legal  voters  of  said  county  shall 
meet  on  the  first  Monday  of  May  next,  at  the 
several  places  of  holding  elections  in  said  new 
county,  and  vote  for  the  place  where  the  county 
seat  of  said  county  shall  be  located,  and  the 
place  receiving  the  greatest  number  of  votes 
shall  be  the  permanent  seat  of  justice  of  said 
county,  and  on  the  first  Monday  of  August 
next  said  county  shall  proceed  to  elect  all 
county  officers  for  said  county,  to  be  commis- 
sioned and  qualified  as  in  other  cases. 

Sec.  4.  The  owner  or  owners  of  the  land 
where  said  county  seat  shall  be  located,  shall 
donate  and  convey  to  said  county  of  Cass,  at 
least  fifteen  acres  of  land  at  the  place  where 
said  seat  shall  be  located,  which  may  be  dis- 
posed of  in  the  manner  the  county  commis- 
sioners' court  of  said  county  shall  deem 
proper,  the  proceeds  whereof  shall  be  applied 
to  the  erection  of  the  court  house  and  jail, 
and  clerk's  offices  of  said  county,  but  if  the 
county  seat  aforesaid  shall  be  located  at 
Beardstown  in  said  county,  the  corporation  of 
said  town  shall,  within  one  year  from  the  said 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


39 


location,  pay  into  the  county  treasury  of  said 
county,  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  to 
be  applied  in  the  erection  of  said  public 
buildings. 

Sec.  5.  Said  county  shall  vote  with  the 
county  of  Morgan  for  Senators  and  Represent- 
atives until  the  next  apportionment,  and  said 
county  shall  make  a  part  of  the  first  judicial 
circuit,  and  so  soon  as  said  county  shall  be  or- 
ganized, the  clerk  of  the  county  commission- 
ers' court  of  said  county  shall  notify  the  judge 
of  the  said  circuit,  and  it  shall  be  his  duty  to 
appoint  a  clerk  and  hold  a  court  in  said  county 
at  such  times  as  said  judge  shall  apjioint. 
The  seat  of  justice  of  said  county  shall  be  lo- 
cated at  Beardstown,  until  the  public  build- 
ings are  erected.  But  if  the  county  seat  shall 
be  located  at  Beardstown,  and  said  corpora- 
tion of  Beardstown  shall  not  pay  to  the  treas- 
urer of  said  county,  said  ten  thousand  dollars 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  said  public  build- 
ings within  one  year  after  the  location  of  said 
county  seat,  then  the  county  commissioners' 
court  of  said  county  shall  locate  the  county 
seat  at  some  other  point  near  the  center  of 
said  county,  when  the  quantity  of  land  men- 
tioned in  the  fourth  section  of  this  act  shall 
be  donated  as  therein  provided. 

Sec.  6.  The  school  funds  belonging  to  the 
several  townships  in  said  county,  and  all 
notes  and  mortgages  pertaining  to  the  same, 
shall  be  paid  and  delivered  over  to  the  school 
commissioners  of  said  county  of  Cass  by  the 
school  commissioners  of  the  county  of  Morgan, 
so  soon  as  the  said  county  shall  be  organized, 
and  the  commissioners  of  school  lands  shall 
be  appointed  and  qualified  according  to  law, 
together  with  all  interest  arising  out  of  said 
money,  that  has  not  been  heretofore  expended 
for  schools  within  that  part  of  Morgan  County 
now  proposed  to  be  set  off  into  the  county  of 
,Cass.  This  act  shall  take  effect  according  to 
the  conditions  thereof,  from  and  after  its  pas- 
sage. 


Sec.  7.  In  case  said  county  of  Cass  shall 
be  created  under  the  provisions  of  this  act, 
then  until  the  next  apportionment  of  Senators 
and  Representatives  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly, the  said  county  shall  be  entitled  to  one 
Representative  to  the  General  Assembly,  and 
shall  at  the  next  election  vote  with  the  county 
of  Morgan  for  one  Senator,  also  at  every  suc- 
ceeding election  for  said  Senator,  and  the 
county  of  Morgan  shall  be  entitled  to  five 
Representatives  and  two  Senators.  Approved, 
March  3d,  1837. 

The  election  was  had;  the  feeling  between 
the  northern  and  southern  sides  of  the 
county  was  such  that  the  election  was  favor- 
able to  division,  and  the  northern  townships 
immediately  called  an  election  for  officers 
with  which  to  organize  the  new  county  of 
Cass. 

There  were  then  but  three  voting  precincts 
in  this  part  of  Morgan  County,  which  was 
about  being  formed  into  a  new  county;  they 
were:  Beardstown,  Virginia  and  Richmond, 
and  the  following  are  the  names  of  every 
man  that  voted  at  that  election,  with  the 
names  of  the  precincts  they  voted  in: 

Poll  Book  at  an  election  held  at  the  house 
of  Moses  Perkins,  in  the  Beardstown  Pre- 
cinct, in  the  County  of  Cass,  Ills.,  August  7, 
1837.  Thos.  Beard,  James  Arnold,  John 
Scheffer,  judges;  T.  U.  Webb,  C.  W.  Clarke, 
clerks. 


John  F.  Bailey, 
Alex.  King, 
Ben.  Beasley, 
Christ.  Shanks, 
Jerem.  Wilson, 
Jordan  Marshall, 
Jos.  Britton, 
Geo.  Bryant, 
Jas.  King, 
Geo.  McKay, 
John  C.  Linsley, 
Elizur  Anderson, 
Edmund  Ensly, 


C.  F.  Kan  d  age, 
Elisha  Marshall, 
John  Marshall, 
Jos  Seaman, 
Isham  Revis, 
Nich.  Parsons, 
Lewis  G.  Lambert, 
Vim.  Cox, 
Frankl.  Stewart, 
Sam.  Hunt, 
Jas.  Pounds, 
Fredy  White, 
Landerick  Eale, 


40 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUXrY. 


Evan  Jenkins, 

Nich.  Rheim, 

Jn.  Miller, 

Fred.  Krohe, 

T.  C.  Mills, 

Moses  Derby, 

Lewis  Haiues, 

Caleb  Lee, 

Wm.  Turkymire, 

Jas.  Bonnett, 

Pbil.  Schaffer, 

Thos.  Carroll, 

J.  W.  Crewdsou, 

Curtis  Hager, 

Gottlieb  Jokisch, 

Phil.  Kuhn, 

Thos.  Haskins, 

Dan.  Wells, 

Jn.  H.  Treadway, 

G.  Kuhl, 

Andr.  Keltner, 

Hy.  P.  Ross, 

John  Richardson, 

John  Rohn, 

Amnsa  Reeves, 

Hy.  Kemble 

Christ' n  Kuhl, 

Jac.  Downing, 

Chr.  Boyd, 

Eilw.  Saunders, 

John  Ilolkmon, 

Dav.  Tureman, 

Jos   Haskins, 

Adolph  Shupong, 

Seymour  Coifren, 

Dav.  Spence, 

Milton  Parmele, 

G.  Ruhl,  2d 

Wm.   Home, 

Moritz  Hallenbach, 

John  Quail, 

Heuiy  T.  Fostei-, 

Thos.  C.  Black, 

Hy.  Boemler, 

Bernard  Beist, 

Wm.  Bi'yit.;., 

Owen  Clemens, 

Dav.  Emerich, 

Ben.  Britton, 

Dav.  Marshall, 

Bradford  Rew, 

L.  H.  Wilkey, 

Geo.  Cowan, 

B.uford  Haines, 

Lewis  Cowan, 

Thos.  J.  Moseley, 

J.  N.  Jenkins, 

Hy.  Schaffer, 

Nich.  Coteral, 

Joel  K.  Bowman, 

Dan.   Britton, 

Thos.  Pierce, 

Gottlieb  Jokisch, 

Wm.  W.  Gillet, 

Sam.  Grosliong, 

Jacob  J.  Brown, 

Jn.  Cuppy, 

Wm.  W.  Hemminghouse, 

John  Keltely, 

Jackson  Stewait, 

Godfr.  Gullet, 

Fred.  Kors, 

Wm.  Quigg, 

Jos.  Canby, 

John  C.  Scott, 

John  Decker, 

Marcus  Chandler, 

Geo.  Garlick, 

Wm.  H.  McKanley, 

Chs.  Garland, 

Leander  Brown, 

Jas.  Dickinson, 

Alex.  RatcliJf, 

John  Brackle, 

Jas.  Garlick, 

Westley  Payton, 

Math.  McBride, 

Chr.  Hell, 

Dan'l  Boyne, 

I^aac  Short, 

John  Burns, 

Elisha  Olcott, 

Thos.  Proctor, 

Amasa  Warren, 

John  Bridgewater, 

Absalom  Spence, 

Rich'd  Graves, 

Geo   Schaffer, 

John  A.  Thomas, 

Wm.  Ritchie, 

Rich' dwells, 

Asa  Street, 

John  Buck, 

Hy.  Miller, 

George  Brown, 

Jas.  Roach, 

Wm.  R.  White. 

M.  Kemper, 

Ben.  Horom, 

Jas.  A.  Carr, 

Jn.  W.  Anderson, 

Wm.  Moore, 

Jos.  H.  Clemens, 

John  Haram, 

Henry  Collins, 

Sam.  Shaw, 

Jas.  Neeper, 

Zach.  Bridgewater, 

Hy.  Boha, 

Jos.  McClure, 

Jackson  Scott, 

Wm.  Moore, 

Wm.  Bassett, 

Wm.  Dougall, 

Stephen  Buck, 

Wm.  R.  Parks, 

Jas.  Davidson, 

Wm.  Holmes, 

Wm.  Shuteman, 

John  P.  Dick, 

Robt.  Lindsay, 

Lewis  Nolte, 

Edward  Salley, 

Joshua  Morris, 

Wm.  Cross, 

Wm.  Clark, 

Demsey  Boyce, 

Wm.  W.  demons, 

Jn.  Wilbourns, 

B.  W.  Schneider, 

Aaron  Powell, 

J.  Philippi, 

John  McKean, 

Francis  Rice, 

Jerm.  Bowes, 

Jas.  Scott, 

Jas.  Logan, 

Aug.  Knapp, 

Jas.  Case, 

Jas.  Cook, 

Jos.  Baker, 

Dan.  Scott, 

A.  Philippi, 

John  Gutliff  Berger, 

Christ.  Newman, 

Martin  F.  Higgins, 

P.  Philippi, 

Fred.  Krohe, 

Thos.  Stokes, 

Dudley  Green, 

W.  W.  Gordon, 

Aug.  Krohe, 

Jasper  Buck, 

Thos.  Wilbourne, 

Ily.  Havekluft, 

f  red  Inkle. 

Jas.  Davis, 

Hy.  Braker, 

Jac.  Fisal, 

Louis  Sudbrink, 

Jas.  Bell, 

0.  Long, 

John  Nevrman, 

Adam  Krough, 

E.  B.  Gillett, 

John  Schaeffer, 

John  Yokes, 

Montela  Richardson, 

J.  B.  Pierce, 

T  U.  Webb, 

Orria  Hicks, 

Rucy  Richardson, 

Harmon  Byrnes, 

J.  Blackman, 

John  Waggoner, 

W.  Moody, 

Joshua  Alexander, 

Pet.  B.  Bell, 

Thomas  Cowan, 

Sam.  Fletcher, 

Edw'd  Treadway, 

Morgan  Kemper, 

John  Hicks, 

L.  H.  Treadway, 

Chs.  Chandler, 

Thos.  Bryant, 

DaT.  Newman, 

John  Price, 

Peter  Light, 

Otto  Wells, 

G.  A.  Bonny, 

Reuben  Alexander, 

Wm.  B.  Gaines, 

J.  W.  Lippincott, 

HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


41 


VVm.  Shcpard, 

Jn.  Steele, 

John  Wilson, 

Calvin  Wilson, 

Sam.  Thompson, 

Arn.  Arenz, 

Oliver  Lege, 

Charles  Scaggs, 

Hy.  Hendricker, 

Pet.  Douglas, 

Wm.  Lucas, 

Wm.  P.  Morgan, 

Rob.  Moore, 

Hy.  Kashner, 

Aaron  Wright, 

Riley  Claxton, 

Win.  Sewell,    y 

J.  M.  Quale, 

John  Pryor, 

Zachariah  Hash, 

Sam.  McKee, 

Jn.  W.  Gillis, 

Standley  Lockerman. 

John  Cook, 

T.  A.  Hoffman, 

Pav.  Jones, 

Henry  S.  Dutch, 

Clinton  Wilson, 

Reuben  Hager, 

Jos.  W    Hardy, 

Robert  Nance, 

Henry  McHenry, 

John  Duchardt, 

Wm.  Miller, 

Wm.  Myers, 

John  Johnson, 

Wm.  L.  Felix, 

Christ.  Trone, 

Wm.  Myers, 

Mathew  Loundsberry, 

John  Ayers, 

Jessie  Ankrom, 

Amos  Dick, 

Frederick  McDonald, 

Hammer  Oatman, 

John  McKowan, 

Henry  Dick, 

John  Leeper, 

Thos.  Saunders, 

Hy.  Whittick, 

Jonathan  N.  I.oge, 

Pleasant  Rose, 

A.  Williams, 

Carlton  Logan, 

John  Hathorn, 

Geo.  Fancier, 

J.  B.  Wilson, 

Wm.  Butler, 

Colman  Gaines, 

James  Bonnet, 

Thos.  Payne, 

H.  Smith, 

John  Davis, 

Cyrus  Elmore, 

Wm.  B.  Ulside, 

J.  0.  Spence, 

Daniel  Robinson, 

Thomas  Jones, 

Dan.  Sheldon, 

Nich.  Kelly, 

John  Lucas, 

Henry  D.  Wilson, 

John  McLane, 

Wm.  W.   Bolt, 

Robert  Leeper, 

John  L.  Witty, 

Lewis  Kicker, 

Wm.  DeHaven, 

John  Taylor, 

Henry  Taylor, 

F.  Arenz, 

Hy.  Wedeking, 

Robert  B.  Taylor, 

Alfred  Daniels, 

Moses  Perkins, 

Dan.  Riggle, 

James  B.  Conner, 

Marcus  Cooper, 

Ily.  Pheboe, 

G.  F.  Miller, 

Willis  Daniels, 

John  B.  Thompson, 

Butler  .\rnold. 

C.  J.  Norbury, 

Wm.  S.  demons, 

Eaton  Nance, 

Isa.iG  Plasters, 

T.  Graham,  Jr., 

Ro.  ert  Carter, 

James  Hathorn, 

Z.  P.  Harvey, 

Lemuel  Plasters, 

James  Wing, 

John  Pratt, 

Wm.  H.  Williams, 

Jac.  Anderson, 

Washington  Daniels, 

H.  W.  Libbeon, 

Ralph  Morgan, 

Hy.   McKean, 

Ely  Cox, 

Sylvester  Sutton, 

J.  P.  Crow, 

John  W.  Pratt, 

James  Hickey, 

Robert  G.  Gaines, 

Austin  8hiitenden, 

Juhn  Bull, 

John  Baldin, 

Amos  Bonney, 

C.  W.  Clark, 

Lewis  Stoner, 

Ashley  Hickey, 

James  Roles, 

John  Cushman, 

Thos.  Beard, 

John  B.  Witty, 

Cyrus  Wright. 

J.  S.  Wilbourne, 

J.  Arnold, 

Wm.  Scult, 

N.  B.  Thompson, 

Election  at  the 

house  of  John  Dj   "Weber, 

Eihv.  Collins, 

A.  Batoagfe, 

in  the  Virginia    Precinct,    in   the    Comity    of 

John  Pierson, 

Day.  White, 

Cass,  Illinois,  August  7,   1837.      This    cer- 

Lewis Pijer, 

tificate  is  added: 

"  The  County  not  being  or- 

Poll  Book  at  Rich 

mond  Prec'nct  election  of 

ganized,    and,  of 

course,  no  Justice  of  Peace, 

l.v3r. 

or  appointed   Jut 

ge,   Mr.  Win.   Clark  admin- 

Mat'w  Soundsberry,  Jr 

Obadiah  Morgan, 

istered  the  oath 

to  the  other  acting  judges 

John  Hillis, 

Horatio  Purdy, 

and  Mr.  .lames  D 

aniel  administered  it  to  him 

Wm.  T.  Kirk, 

Jerry  W.  Davis, 

and  to  the  clerks. 

Subscribed  by  us. 

Thos.  Lockermand, 

John  Roberts, 

"  Wm.  M.  Claek, 

Azariah  Lewis, 

John  Chesshire, 

"James  Daniel." 

Levy  Dick, 

Thomas  Plasters, 

Gibson  Carter, 

Abner  Foster, 

Louis  Thornsberry, 

John  Slack, 

David  Pratt, 

Peter  Dick, 

Wm.  Paton, 

Ezra  Dutch, 

John  lancier, 

Cary  Nance, 

Wm.  Graves, 

Young  Phelps, 

Henry  Nichols, 

Wm.  Linn, 

Levi  Springer, 

John  Craig, 

Jacob  Bixler, 

Enoch  Wheelock, 

P.  S.  Oulten, 

L.   B.  Ross, 

42 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Thos.  Plaster,  Sr., 
Benj.  Corby, 
John  Glover, 
P.  Underwood,  Jr., 
perry  G.  Price, 
Thos.  J.  Joy, 
John  Daniel, 
Wm.  B.  Kirk, 
Jeremiah  Northern, 
Jos.  McDaniel, 
Felix  Cameron, 
Robt.  Davidson, 
H.  Osborne, 
Beneiiici  Cameron, 
Anderson  Phelps, 
Zeb.  Wood, 
Jesse  Spicer, 
Wm.  Craig, 
Jas.  Bland, 
L.  Carpenter,    . 
John  Clark, 
L.  Clark, 
Geo.  Cunningliam, 
Michael  Reed, 
Green  H.  Paschal, 
Onslow  Watson, 
John  McDonald, 
Joel  Home, 
Charles  Brady, 
Wm.  Daniels, 
W.  P.  Johnstone, 
W.  P.  Finch, 
John  Carpenter, 
Thos.  Lee, 
Thos.  G.  Howard, 
Joshua  Price, 
Green  Garner, 
Aaron  Bonny. 
Amos  L.  Bonny, 
Ephraim  Moseley, 
Jas.  Ross,  Sr., 
T.  S.  Berry, 
A.  Bowen, 
John  Long, 
Evan  Warren, 
John  Cunningham, 
Jas.  Holland, 


Wm.  Fields, 
Alex.  Bain, 
Jas.  Garner, 
John  Biddies, 
Phillip  Cochrane, 
H.  II.  Hall, 
A.  Elder, 

A.  S.  West, 
Wm.  M.  Clark, 
Wm.  Blain, 
Titus  Phelps. 
Jas.  Williams, 
Henry  Hopkins, 
Thos.  Boicourt, 
John  Robinson, 
George  Sliaw, 
J.  M.  Ross, 
Pleas.  Scott, 
Jas.  Biddle, 

J.  T.  Powell, 
John  De  Weber, 
Reddick  Horn, 
Archibald  Job, 
George  Beggs, 

B.  Stribling, 
Chas.  P.  Anderson, 
S.  Steveson, 

Jas.  Daniels, 
James  B.  Davis, 
John  Redman, 
Elias  Matthew, 
Thos.  Finn, 
Daniel  Cauby, 
L.  B.  Freeman, 
J.  M.  McLean, 

B.  A.  Blantin, 
Jos.  Jump, 

C.  H.  Oliver, 
Alex.  Huffman, 
Jonas  McDonald, 
John  Peirce, 
John  Biddlecome, 
Jas.  Berry, 

"M.  O'Brien, 
Isaiah  Paschal, 
M.  H.  Biddies. 


CANDIDATES. 

Probate  Juslke.     J.   S.   Wilbourue,    65 ; 
26;  Jas.  Berry,15. 


Wm.  Scott, 


Sheriff.  Lemon  Plaster,  81  ;  M.  F.  Higgins,  1  'i ;  J. 
B.  Bueb,;70. 

Recorder.  N.  B.  Thompson,  30 ;  Thos.  Graham,  1 ; 
Dr.  0.  M.  Long,  7  ;   Alfred  Elder,  64. 

Count;/  Commissionera'  Treasurer.  Thos.  Wilbourn, 
14;  J.  C.  Spense,  84. 

County  Commissioners'  Clerk.  J.  M.  Pratt,  52 ;  R. 
G.  Gains,  49. 

County  Commissioners.  Amos  Bonney,  60 ;  G.  P. 
Miller,  16;  H  McKean,  30;  Benj.  Stribling,  95; 
Henry  McIIenry,  7. 

County  Surveyor.     Wm.  Holmes,  86;  Wnt.  Clark,    19. 

Coroner.  C.  Rew,  27  ;  J.  Anderson,  none  ;  Halsey 
Smith,  75. 

The  election  was  held  on  the  first  day  of 
August,  1837,  and  the  following  named  officers 
were  elected:  Joshua  P.  Crow,  Amos  Bonney, 
and  George  F.  Miller,  County  Commissioners; 
John  S.  Wilbourne,  Probate  Justice  of  the 
Peace;  John  W.  Pratt,  Clerk  of  County  Com- 
missioners' Court;  Lemon  Plaster,  Sheriff. 
These  men  were  sworn  into  office  by  Thomas 
Pogue,  a  Beardstown  magistrate. 

On  tlie  1-tth  day  of  August,  1837,  the 
county  commissioners  met  and  organized  Cass 
County.  At  this  first  meeting  of  the  board, 
the  new  county  was  divided  into  six  precincts, 
which  were  named :  Beardstown,  Monroe, 
Virginia,  Sugar  Grove,  Richmond  and 
Bowens. 

When  this  county  was  organized  there  was 
not  a  house,  built  exclusively  for  relisrious 
worship,  in  it,  and  not  one  in  all  Morgan 
County  outside  of  Jacksonville.  Physicians 
were  scarce,  and  fever  and  ague  quite  com- 
mon. Game  was  plenty,  some  of  which  was 
verv  disagreeable,  particularly  wolves,  and  an 
occasional  panther.  The  wolves  very  sel- 
dom did  violence  to  human  beings;  but  when 
the  weather  was  cold  and  stormy,  and  the 
ground  frozen,  they  were  so  bold  and  threat- 
ening, that  nobody  cared  to  risk  himself  out 
alone  at  night.  The  only  instance  of  violence 
to  a  man  within  our  recollection,  was  the  case 
of  Esquire   Daniel  Troy,  living  near  Bethel 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


43 


who  was  walking  home  one  night  from  town, 
carrying  a  quarter  of  beef  on  his  shoulder. 
He  was  attacked  by  a  gang  of  wolves,  the 
beef  taken  away  from  him,  and  he  very 
roughly  handled. 

There  were  a  few  large  gray  wolves  also, 
that  were  very  much  feared.  One  cold,  bright, 
moonshiny  night,  we  heard  an  uncommon 
fuss  with  our  dogs,  and  opened  our  cabin 
door.  A  favorite  little  black  dog  immediately 
pounced  into  the  house,  and  t)ie  largest  gray 
wolf,  we  ever  saw,  which  was  after  him,  tried 
to  follow.  The  door  was  open,  and  we  had 
no  time  to  get  our  rifle.  The  only  weapon 
at  hand  was  a  stick  of  fire  wood,  but  with  this 
we  did  good  execution,  and  Mr.  Wolf  had  to 
beat  a  retreat.  So  severely  had  we  beaten 
him,  that  he  immediately  left  our  premises. 
We  afterward  heard  a  fuss  among  the  dogs 
at  a  neighbor's,  Armstrong  Cooper's  house, 
and  then  the  crack  of  a  rifle,  and  in  a  short 
time  we  lu>ard  the  dogs  and  another  rifle  at 
Mr.  Lamb's  liouse,  and  then  all  was  still.  We 
found  next  morning  that  these  shots  of  Cooper 
and  Lamb  had  killed  him.  He  was  a  mon- 
ster, and  measured  nine  feet  and  nine  inches, 
from  his  nose  to  the  end  of  his  tail. 

At  that  time  there  was  very  little  litigation 
among  the  country  people,  and  personal  alter- 
cations were  usually  settled  by  a  resort  to 
blows. 

It  was  in  the  winter  of  1836-37,  we  be- 
lieve, although  we  defer  our  recollection  to 
others,  if  they  think  we  are  mistaken, 
that  we  had  what  we  called  the  "  sudden 
change  "  in  the  weather,  the  most  remark- 
able one  we  ever  saw,  heard  of,  or  read 
of.  On  Saturday  morning  there  was  snow 
on  the  ground.  The  following  Sunday 
was  a  very  warm  day,  and  Monday,  until 
about  one  o'clock  p.  m.,  was  still  warmer, 
and  on  both  days  there  was  considerable  rain. 
The  snow  had  melted  into  slush  and  water, 
which  was  standing  in   ponds  on    the    level 


ground,  and  roaring  down  declivities.  At 
that  hour  the  weather  turned  suddenly  very 
cold.  In  one  hour  after  the  change  began 
the  slush  and  water  was  frozen  solid;  and  in 
two  hours  from  that  time,  men  were  hur- 
riedly crossing  the  river  on  the  ice.  A  vast 
amount  of  cattle,  fowls  and  game,  and  many 
persons,  were  frozen  to  death.  We  heard 
of  one  man,  who  was  crossing  a  prairie,  on 
horseback,  who  had  killed  his  horse  and 
taken  the  entrails  out  of  him  and  then 
crawled  inside  of  him  for  protection,  was 
found  there  frozen  to  death.  We  don't 
know  how  the  thermometer  stood,  for  we  had 
none. 

On  Monday,  during  this  sudden  change.  Dr. 
Chandler  was  returning  home  from  a  pro- 
fessional trip  up  the  bottom.  His  overcoat 
was  covered  with  slush  and  mud,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  after  the  change  began  his  coat 
was  frijzen  stift",  and  he  felt  that  he  was  in 
danger  of  being  frozen.  He  stopped  at  the 
store  of  Henry  T.  &  Abner  Foster,  at  Rich- 
mond, on  the  land  since  owned  by  John  P. 
Dick,  where  he  was  warmed  up  and  thawed 
out.  He  then  mounted  his  horse  and  started  on 
a  gallop  for  home,  about  six  miles  distant,  but 
soon  found  himself  freezing  again.  He 
stopped  at  another  house,  and  warmed,  and 
started  again,  with  like  results.  He  thus  was 
forced  to  stop  at  four  different  houses,  be- 
tween Foster's  store  and  his  house,  to  prevent 
freezing  to  death.  When  he  arrived  within 
sight  of  his  own  house  his  horse  fell  down, 
and  left  him  helpless  on  the  ice,  and  his 
family  dragged  him,  in  a  helpless  condition, 
into  the  house. 

At  the  special  session  of  the  Legislature, 
in  the  summer  of  1S37,  was  passed  a  pream- 
ble and  statute  to  the  following  effect : 

Whereas,  at  an  election  held  in  the  county 
of  Morgan,  according  to  the  provisions  of 
"  An  act  for  the  formation  of  the  county  of 
Cass,"  it    appeared    tiiat    a    majority    of    the 


44 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COU.\TY. 


voters  of  said  county  voted  for  the  creation 
of  said  county  ;  and,  whereas,  at  an  election 
for  the  county  seat  of  said  county.  Beards- 
town  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  for 
the  county  seat,  and  whereas,  some  doubts 
have  been  expressed  as  to  the  legality  of  the 
proceedings  of  said  election,  now,  therefore, 
to  remove  all  doubts  on  that  subject  : 

Sec.  1.  He  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the 
State  of  Illinois  represented  in  the  General 
Assembly,  That  the  county  of  Cass,  as  desig- 
nated and  bounded  in  the  "  Act  for  the 
formation  of  the  county  of  Cass,"  approved 
March  3d,  1837,  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  de- 
clared to  be,  one  of  the  counties  of  this  State. 

Sec.  2.  The  county  seat  shall  be  located 
at  the  city  of  Beardstown,  in  said  county  ; 
Provided,  however.,  that  the  provision  of  the 
act  above  referred  to,  shall  be  complied  with 
by  the  citizens,  or  a  corporation  of  Boards- 
tc^n,  in  relation  to  the  raising  the  sum  of 
ten  thousand  dollars,  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  erecting  public  buildings  for  said  county. 

Sec.  3.  The  corporation  of  Beardstown 
shall  be  allowed  the  period  of  one,  two,  and 
three  years,  for  the  payment  of  ten  thousand 
dollars,  aforesaid,  to  be  calculated  from  the 
passage  of  the  law  aforesaid,  which  sum  shall 
be  paid  in  three  equal  payments.  The  County 
Commissioners'  Court  of  said  county  shall 
make  their  contracts  for  erecting  the  pulilic 
buildings  in  said  county,  so  as  to  make  their 
payments  thereon  when  the  said  installments 
aforesaid  shall  become  due  and  payable. 

Sec.  4.  The  court  house  of  said  county 
shall  be  erected  on  the  plat  of  ground  known 
as  the  public  square,  in  said  town  of  Beards- 
town. 

Sec.  5.  Returns  of  the  elections  for  the 
county  officers  of  said  county,  to  be  elected 
on  the  first  Jlonday  of  August  next,  shall  be 
made  in  Beardstown,  to  O.  M.  Long  and 
Thomas  Poyne,  notaries  public  in  Beardstown, 
who  shall  open  and  examine  the  poll  books  of 


said  election  in  the  presence  of  one  or  more 
Justices  of  the  Peace  in  and  for  said  county  ; 
and  said  notaries  public,  after  due  inspection 
and  examination  of  the  poll  books,  according 
to  the  laws  of  this  State,  shall  make  out  certi- 
ficates of  election  of  those  persons  who  have 
received  the  highest  number  of  votes,  which 
certificates  shall  be  such  as  those  required  to 
be  made  by  the  Clerks  of  the  County  Commis- 
sioners' Court,  and  shall  receive  and  be  en- 
titled to  the  same  effect  in  law. 

This  statute  also  provides  how  the  school 
fund  of  Morgan  County  shall  be  divided  with 
Cass  County. 

At  the  session  of  1839,  on  the  2d  day  of 
March,  the  Legislature  made  this  preamble 
and  statute  : 

"  Whereas,  it  was  provided,  by  the  act  for 
the  formation  of  the  county  of  Cass,  that,  in 
case  the  county  seat  of  said  county  should  be 
located  at  Beardstown,  the  corporation  or  in- 
habit;uits  should,  within  one  year  after  the 
location,  pay  into  the  county  treasury  tiie  sum 
of  ten  thousand  dollars,  to  be  ajs plied  to  the 
erection  of  public  buildings;  and  whereas,  by 
the  act  passed  21st  of  July,  1837,  in  relation 
to  said  county,  further  time  was  allowed  said 
corporation  to  make  said  payment,  the  said 
corporation  having  failed  to  pay  the  said  ten 
thousand  dollars,  and  not  having  complied 
with,  or  agreed  to  comply  with  the  provisions 
of  the  last  recited  act,  the  County  Commis- 
sioners of  said  county,  under  the  provisions  of 
the  first  recited  act,  located  the  county  seat  at 
Virginia,  and  contracted  for  the  erection  of  a 
court  house  and  jail  in  said  county;  and  doubts 
being  entertained  as  to  the  true  construction 
of  the  act  last  recited  in  relation  to  the  rights 
of  said  corporation,  and  the  duties  of  the 
County  Commissioners,  therefore: 

"  Sec.  1.  He  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the 
Slate  of  Illinois  represented  in  the  General 
Assembly,  That  the  county  seat  of  Cass 
Countv  shall  be  and  remain  at  Virginia,  and 


/^(c^f^t^^U^ 


^ 


!■  •,"•'(  1 


LINOI?. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


47 


tlie  courts  of  ^^aid  county  shall  hereafter  be 
held  at  that  place;  and  the  several  county 
officers,  who  are  required  to  keep  their  offices 
at  the  county  seat,  are  required  to  remove 
their  respective  offices,  and  all  bonds,  docu- 
ments, books  and  papers  pertaining  to  the 
same,  to  Virginia,  on  or  before  the  first  day 
of  May  next,  and  thereafter  hold  and  keep 
their  respective  offices  at  that  place;  and  in 
case  one  or  more  of  said  officers  shall  fail,  or 
refuse  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this 
act,  such  officer  shall  forfeit  his  office." 

In  the  years  1838  and  1839,  wasbuilt,  aswe 
believe,  the  first  railroad  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains,  running  from  Meredosia  to 
Springfield.  "We  particularly  recollect  this 
great  enterprise,  for  two  reasons:  first,  we  took 
a  trip  in  1838  from  Meredosia  to  Jacksonville, 
on  the  first  passenger  train  that  ever  ran  on  that 
road;  and  second,  because  it  was  built  by  the 
State,  and  was  a  part  of  that  great  internal 
imnrovement  policy,  which  bankrupted  and 
disgraced  the  State,  and  spread  miserj'  among 
the  people.  Of  all  the  hard  times  that  the 
people  of  Cass  County,  and  indeed  of  the 
A^hole  State,  have  ever  seen,  these  were  the 
hardest. 

This  was  caused  by  a  passage  of  a  bill  in 
the  Legislature,  providing  for  a  general  sj's- 
tem  of  internal  improvements  by  the  construc- 
tion of  nearly  1,300  miles  of  railroad,  and  the 
improvement  of  various  rivers.  These  im- 
provements never  paid  the  interest  on  the 
money  they  cost,  and  in  1840,  after  a  short 
but  eventful  life  of  three  years,  fell  the  most 
stupendous,  extravagant  and  almost  ruinous 
foil}'  of  a  grand  system  of  internal  improve- 
ments that  any  civilized  community,  perhaps, 
ever  engaged  in,  leaving  a  State  debt  of  81-4,- 
23?, 348.00,  and  a  population  of  less  than  half 
a  million  to  pay  it.  For  this  the  people 
could  not  blame  the  Legislature,  or  the  poli- 
ticians, for  the  people  themselves  had  de- 
manded and  clamored  for  it,  and  the  Legisla- 


ture only  obeyed  their  behest  in  granting  it. 
At  the  same  time,  the  State  banks  suspended, 
and  left  us  with  a  depreciated  currency. 
The  State  Bank  of  Shawneetown  collapsed 
with  a  circulation  of  §1,700,000,  and  the  State 
Bank  with  §3,000,000.  The  people  were  left 
destitute  of  an  adequate  circulating  medium 
and  were  not  supplied  until  the  ordinary  pro- 
cess of  their  limited  commerce  brought  in 
gold  and  silver  and  bills  of  solvent  banks 
from  the  other  States,  which  was  very  slow. 
Even  immigration  was  stopped,  owing  to  the 
general  financial  embarrassment,  high  taxes, 
and  disgraceful  condition  of  the  State. 
When  money  was  abundant,  credit  had  been 
extended  to  every  body.  With  the  vast  sys- 
tem of  internal  improvements,  and  the  large 
circulation  of  the  banks,  this  was  the  condi- 
tion of  our  people.  They  were  largely  in 
debt  on  account  of  speculations,  which  proved 
to  be  delusions.  Contracts  matured,  but  no- 
body paid.  The  State  had  sold  and  hypothe- 
cated her  bonds  until  its  credit  was  exhausted. 
Then  no  further  effort  was  made  to  pay  even 
the  interest  on  the  State  debt.  Then  the 
State  bonds  went  down,  down,  until  they 
were  worth  but  fourteen  cents  on  the  dollar. 
The  people  were  unable  and  unwilling  to  pay 
higher  taxes,  and  what  might  almost  be  called 
a  general  bankruptcy  ensued.  The  people 
owed  the  merchants;  the  merchants  owed  the 
banks,  and  for  goods  purchased  abroad;  while 
the  banks,  having  suspended  specie  payment, 
owed  every  one  who  carried  one  of  their  rags 
in  his  pocket.  None  could  pay  in  par  funds, 
for  there  were  none  to  l)e  had.  In  this  dilemma 
the  Legislature  tried  to  come  to  the  relief  of 
the  people,  but  instead  of  relieving  them 
from  their  wretched  condition  by  summary 
legislation,  they,  as  such  bodies  usually  do,  in 
like  circumstances,  only  made  matters  worse. 
Among-  other  statutes  passed  with  this  gener- 
ous object,  was  one  that  we  have  no  doubt 
many  citizens  of  Cass  will  recollect,  which  was 


48 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


known  among  the  people  as  the  slay  laic,  or 
two-thirds  law.  It  serves  to  illustrate  both 
the  hard  times  and  the  inconsiderate  and  un- 
just legislation  of  that  day,  although  done 
with  the  intention  of  affording  relief  to  the 
debtor  class,  without  ajiparently  thinking  that 
it  was  at  the  expense  of  the  creditor.  This 
law  provided  that  property  levied  upon  by 
e.\(>cution  should  be  valued  as  in  "ordinary 
times;"  the  valuation  to  be  made  by  ihree 
householders  summoned  by  the  officer 
holding  the  writ  of  whom  the  debtor, 
creditor,  and  officer  should  each  choose  one, 
thus  placing  it  in  the  power  of  the  officer  to 
favor  either  party  at  his  option;  the  property 
was  not  to  be  sold  unless  it  brought  two-thirds 
of  its  valuation;  no  way  was  provided  by 
which  the  creditor  if  two-thirds  of  its  valua- 
tion was  not  bid,  could  hold  his  lien;  thus 
forcing  him  to  stay  collection  or  suffer  dis- 
count of  '33j(  per  cent.  This  law  was  made 
applicable  to  all  judgments  rendered  and  con- 
tracts accruing  prior  to  the  1st  of  Maj',  1841, 
without  reference  to  the  legal  obligations  of  the 
time  when  contracts  were  entered  into;  beincr 
in  violation  of  that  clause  of  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States,  declaring  that  "no  law 
shall  be  passed  impairing  the  obligation  of 
contracts."  In  the  case  of  McCracK-en  v. 
Howard,  2d  Howard,  COS,  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States  subsequently  held  this 
law  to  be  unconstitutional.  But,  in  the  mean- 
time, the  law  had  performed  its  mission,  and 
had  rendered  the  collection  of  debts  almost 
impossible.  The  condition  of  our  people  was 
truly  distressing.  There  was  an  utter  dearth 
and  stagnation  of  businesg.  Abroad,  the 
name  of  the  State  was  associated  with  dis- 
honor. There  were  no  immigrants  but  those 
who  had  nothing  to  lose;  while  people  here, 
with  rare  exceptions,  were  anxious  to  sell  out 
and  flee  a  country  presenting  no  alternative 
other  than  exorbitant  taxation  or  disgrace. 
But  property  would  not  sell,  nor  was  there  any 


money  to  buy  with.  Indeed,  money,  as  a 
means  of  exchange,  became  almost  unknown. 
Payment  was  taken  in  trade,  store  pay,  etc. 
Merchants  and  other  dealers  issued  warrants 
or  due  bills,  which  passed  for  so  much  on  the 
dollar /n  trade.  Even  the  county  commission- 
ers' court  of  Cass  County  came  to  the  relief 
of  the  people,  and  had  a  plate  engraved,  and 
issued  vast  quantities  of  county  warrants,  or 
orders,  in  the  similitude  of  one  dollar  bank 
bills.  But  these  coimty  orders,  and  others 
like  them,  were  made  invalid  by  an  act  of  the 
legislature  passed  in  the  interest  of  the  banks; 
so  that  even  this  charitable  act  on  the  part  of 
our  county  commissioners  to  relieve  the  local 
scarcity  of  money,  failed  in  its  office. 

At  this  time  money  was  so  scarce  that  it 
was  with  great  difficulty  that  farmers,  owning 
good  farms,  could  get  the  money  to  pay  their 
postage.  It  was  not  necessary  then  to  prepay 
postage.  Domestic  letters  cost  from  five  to 
twenty-five  cents  apiece,  according  to  the 
distance  they  had  come;  and  foreign  letters 
were  still  higher. 

What  was  wrorse,  they  must  all  be  paid  for 
in  silver,  and  it  often  occurred  th.at  a  letter 
would  lie  in  the  office  for  weeks  before  its 
owner  could  get  the  silver  to  redeem  it.  If 
the  farmers  wished  to  get  goods  from  the 
store,  they  were  forced  to  buy  on  credit,  and 
pay  in  grain  or  other  produce,  or  take  butter, 
eggs,  poultry,  game,  honey,  wood,  or  other 
articles,  to  exchange  for  store  goods. 

Produce  continually  fiuctuated  in  price, 
even  in  store  pay.  We  have  seen  corn  sell  at 
six  cents  often,  and  have  heard  farmers  re- 
mark that  ten  cents  in  cash  was  all  that 
corn  ought  to  and  probably  ever  would 
bring,  and  that  farmers  could  get  rich  at 
that  price.  We  have  sold  wheat  in  Beards- 
town  at  thirty-five  cents  per  bushel,  and  pork 
often  at  one  and  one-quarter  cents  per  pound. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  County  Com- 
missioners'  Court  after   the   organization   of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


49 


this  county,  was  to  arrange  for  raising  a  rev- 
enue, and  they  passed  an  order  that  the  fol- 
lowing kinds  of  property  be  taxed  at  the  rate 
of  one-half  per  cent.:  Town  lots,  "inden- 
tured or  reg-istered  negro  or  mulatto  servants" 
(for  this  had  not  ceased  to  be  a  slave  State  at 
,  that  time),  pleasure  carriages,  stocks  in  trade, 
horses,  mules,  "  and  all  neat  cattle  over  and 
under  three  years  old,"  hogs,  sheep,  wagons 
and  carts. 

A  public  notice  was  given  to  "  all  persons 
trading  in  Cass  County  "  to  procure  a  license 
according  to  law.  Under  this  notice,  at  the 
September  Term,  1837,  Spence  &  Foster,  T. 
&  J.  T.  Wilbourn,  and  Parrot  &  Alcott,  got  a 
license  to  sell  goods,  wares,  and  merchandise 
in  Beardstown  ;'and  Beasley  &  Schafer,  a  sim- 
ilar license  at  Monroe  ;  and  all  such  licenses 
were  fixed  at  five  dollars  each.  Tavern  li- 
censes were  granted  at  seven  dollars  each.  At 
the  same  term,  a  license  to  keep  a  ferry-boat, 
for  one  year,  at  B  Mrdstown,  was  granted  to 
Thomas  Beard  for  twenty-two  dollars. 

The  first  county  order  drawn  on  the  treas- 
urer, was  for  twenty-two  dollars  and  fifty 
cents,  in  favor  of  N.  B.  Thompson,  for  the 
books  of  the  County  Commissioners'  Court. 
The  second  was  in  favor  of  N.  B.  Thompson, 
for  thirty  dollars,  and  was  for  three  county 
seals,  in  full,  September  6,  1837. 

The  first  term  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Cass 
County  was  held  in  Beardstown,  November 
13,  1837,  in  a  one-story  frame  building  stand- 
ing at  the  corner  of  Main  and  State  streets, 
where  Seeger's  hall  now  stands.  Present  : 
the  Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  Jr.,  judge  of  the 
First  Judicial  Circuit  ;  Lemon  Plaster,  sheriff; 
and  as  the  Circuit  Clerk  was  not  an  elective 
ofBce  at  that  time,  N.  B.  Thompson  was  ap- 
pointed clerk  by  the  judge. 

The  grand  jury  at  that  time  consisted  of 
Thomas  Wilbourn,  foreman,  Isaac  Spence, 
Augustus  Knapp,  James  H.  Blackman,  Alex- 
ander   Huffman,     Robert    Gaines,     Richard 


Graves,  William  Shoopman,  Benjamin  Strib- 
ling,  John  Daniels,  Phineas  Underwood,  Eph- 
raim  Moseley,  John  Robinson,  Elijah  Carver, 
John  P.  Dick,  William  McAuley,  Marcus 
Chandler,  Henry  S.  Ingalls,  Jeremiah  Bowen, 
Amos  Hager,  and  Jeremiah  Northern. 

There  was  no  petit  jury  at  this  term,  but 
talismen  were  drawn  as  they  were  wanted. 

At  the  May  term,  1838,  Nathan  alias 
Nathaniel  Graves,  was  indicted  for  the  mur- 
der of  an  eastern  man  lamed  Fowie,  which 
murder  took  place  at  what  was  known  as 
Miller  McLane's  grocery,  kept  in  a  log  house 
which  stood  on  the  present  site  of  Philadel- 
phia. Fowle  and  Alec  Beard  were  sitting 
down  on  a  log  outside  the  grocery,  talking  in 
a  friendly  manner.  There  was  quite  a  num- 
ber of  persons  around.  Graves  and  Richard 
McDonald  came  riding  up  on  horseback  from 
different  directions  about  the  same  time. 
Graves  dismounted,  leading  his  horse  towards 
Fowle,  drew  a  pistol  and  shot  and  killed  him. 
He  was  so  near  Fowle  that  the  fire  burnt  his 
clothes.  The  men  standing  around  were  so 
surprised  that  they  stood  still  while  Graves 
mounted  his  horse  and  started  to  ride  away. 
At  this  time  McDonald  cried  out,  "  Men,  why 
don't  j'ou  arrest  him?"  and  rode  alter  him. 
When  Graves  saw  that  McDona'd  was  about 
to  catch  him,  he  drew  a  knife  and  turned 
around.  McDonald  caught  him  by  the  throat 
and  choked  him  till  he  surrendered,  but  was 
himself  badly,  almost  fatally,  wounded  in  the 
struggle.  Graves  took  a  change  of  venue  to 
Green  County,  where,  breaking  jail,  he  escaped 
to  Kentucky,  where  he  died  a  natural  death. 

In  1839,  the  town  of  Arenzville  was  found- 
ed by  Francis  Arenz. 

Thus  matters  stood  from  1837  to  1843,  dur- 
ing which  time  there  grew  a  feeling  of  dis- 
satisfaction among  the  people  of  the  southern 
half  of  the  townships  seventeen  and  other 
parts  of  Morgan  County,  with  Jacksonville; 
and   there  was  such  effort  made  to  dissever 


50 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COU>'TY. 


their  relations,  that  two  statutes  were  passed 
by  the  Legislature  in  the  session  of  1843, 
which  provided  for  the  accoraplishmetit  of 
three  objects:  one  of  which  was  that  a  vote 
be  taken  whether  Morgan  County  should  be 
divided  into  two  counties,  one  of  which  was 
to  remain  by  the  name  of  Morgan  County, 
and  the  other  by  the  name  of  Benton;  second, 
that  the  tier  of  half  townships,  known  as 
seventeen,  or  the  "  three  mile  strip,"  on  the 
north  side  of  Morgan  County,  be  added  to 
Cass  County;  and  third,  that  Cass  County 
should  vote  for  the  selection  of  a  permanent 
county  seat.  The  election  on  the  first  propo- 
sition was  held  in  Morgan  County  on  the  first 
Monday  in  August,  1843,  and  resulted  unfav- 
orably to  the  creation  of  the  county  of  Benton 
The  proposition  to  annex  the  "  three-mile 
strip,"  was  held  in  the  four  different  precincts 
in  that  strip  of  territory,  on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  May,  1845,  and  stood  as  follows: 

For  attaching  to  Cass.  Agaiust  attaching. 

Arenzville 115  5 

At  the  house  of  Ilenry  Price  70  14 

Princeton 41  35 

At  the  house  of  Wm.  Berry   20  24 

M  tjority  for  attaching  the  "three-mile  strip" 
to  Cass,  168. 

On  the  first  Monday  in  September,  1843, 
there  was  an  election  held  in  Cass  County  to 
determine  the  permanent  location  of  the 
county  seat,  at  which  election  the  vote  stood 
as  follows: 

Precincts.  For  Beardsto^vn.  For  Virginia. 

Virginia 2  234 

Richmond 21  34 

Monroe 17  7 

Beardstown 413  13 

Majority  for  Beardstown,  165. 

The  county  seat  was  removed  to  Beards- 
town, and  on  the  eighth  day  of  February, 
1845,  the  town  of  Beardstown  presented  the 
county  commissioners'  court  with  lot  one,  in 
block  thirty-one,  in  that  town,  with  the  court 


house  and  jail  thereon  completed.  On  the 
sixth  of  March,  1846,  Reddick  Horn  sold  his 
farm,  consisting  of  134  acres,  in  sections 
twenty-eight  and  twenty-nine,  in  township 
eighteen,  range  eleven,  to  the  county  of  Cass, 
for  a  "  home  for  the  poor  of  the  county,"  for 
$1,500. 

By  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mormon  war, 
in  1845,  Beardstown  again  became  the  rendez- 
vous for  the  State  forces  called  out  to  coerce 
into  obedience  to  our  State  laws  that  peculiar 
people.  The  troops  were  under  the  com- 
mand of  Brigadier- General  John  J.  Hardin, 
of  Jacksonville,  Illinois. 

The  town  of  Chandlerville  was  begun  in 
1848,  by  Dr.  Charles  Chandler;  and  Ashland 
in  1857. 

From  1850  to  1852,  Cass  County  was  in- 
fested by  horse  thieves,  who  resided  in  the 
county,  some  half  dozen  of  which  were  ar- 
rested in  the  latter  year,  and  brought  before  a 
magistrate  lor  examination.  One  of  the 
number  was  a  large,  powerful,  good-looking 
young  Hungarian,  named  Eugene  Honorius. 
We  were  prosecuting  the  case,  and  felt  satis- 
fied from  what  we  could  learn,  that  he  had  no 
heart  in  that  nefarious  business,  but  was  in- 
duced to  stay  with  the  gang  out  of  love  for 
the  sister  of  one  of  them.  Not  having  suf- 
ficient testimony,  we  pressed  him  into  the 
service  as  witness,  and  by  a  rigid  examina- 
tion, extorted  all  the  necessary  facts  from  him 
sufficient  to  hold  the  rest  of  the  gang,  who 
were  committed  to  jail. 

Before  the  sitting  of  the  Circuit  Court, 
however,  they  all  broke  jail,  and  fled  to  Kan- 
sas; from  whence  the  girl  to  whom  Honorius 
was  attached,  wrote  back  to  a  friend  the 
statement:  That  by  an  arrangement  with  the 
gang,  after  they  had  escaped  from  jail,  one 
Sunday  she  asked  the  Hungarian  to  go  to  a 
religious  meeting  with  her,  down  on  Indian 
Creek.  That  they  started  on  horseback,  but 
that   she    decoyed   him    away   down   on   Hog 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


51 


Island,  where  they  met  the  gang,  who  shot 
and  killed  him  in  revenge  for  his  having 
"■peached"  on  them;  and  that  if  the  prose- 
cutors wanted  to  use  him  for  a  witness  again 
they  could  find  him  at  a  certain  place  on  Hog 
Island,  and  designated  it. 

Upon  being  informed  of  this,  John  Craig 
and  the  writer  rode  down  there,  and  at  the 
place  designated  in  the  girl's  letter,  we  found 
the  bones  of  a  man,  evidently  about  the  large 
size  of  Honorius,  but  so  much  torn  to  pieces 
and  broken  bv  animals,  that  we  could  find 
but  three  whole  bones,  the  two  thighs  and  the 
jaw  bone,  which  we  have  yet  in  our  posses- 
sion. The  perpetrators  were  never  re-taken, 
but  the  county  was  not  troubled  with  horse- 
thieves  for  a  long  time  afterwards. 

By  virtue  of  the  State  Constitution  of  18-18, 
a  statute  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  1849, 
abolishing  the  County  Commissioners'  Court, 
and  the  office  of  Probate  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  creating  instead  the  County  Court,  con- 
sisting of  one  judge  and  two  associate  justices 
of  the  peace. 

The  first  court  elected  under  the  new  law 
was:  James  Shaw,  judge;  Wm.  Taylor  and 
Thomas  Plaster,  associates. 

At  the  same  session  an  act  was  passed 
authorizing  counties  to  adopt  township  organ- 


ization, if  a  majority  of  the  citizens  should 
favor  it.  An  effort  was  made  at  that  time, 
and  several  others  by  a  vote  of  the  people 
have  been  made  since,  to  adopt  that  form  of 
county  government  in  Cass  County,  but  have 
failed;  the  people  in  every  instance  prefer- 
ring to  remain  under  the  old  form  of  organi- 
zation. 

In  the  same  year,  1849,  Beardstown  was 
incorporated  as  a  city,  with  the  same  charter 
as  those  of  Springfield  and  Quincy.  In  this 
year  also  occurred  the  third  election  for  loca- 
tion of  the  county  seat,  which  was  decided 
in  favor  of  Beardstown.  Another  election 
was  had  in  1857,  and  another  in  1868,  for 
the  same  purpose,  but  the  county  seat  still 
remained  at  Beardstown.  Another  election 
was  held  in  1873,  under  the  Constitution  of 
1870,  and  a  new  general  statute  governing  re- 
location of  countj'  seats.  The  history  of  this 
last  election  and  its  results  is  too  fresh  in  the 
memory  to  need  repeating  now.  By  it  the 
county  seat  was  removed  to  Virginia,  where 
it  now  remains. 

The  first  census  taken  after  Cass  County 
was  formed,  was  in  1840;  it  then  had  a  total 
population  of  2,981.  In  1850,  it  had  7,253; 
in  1860,  11,325;  in  1870,  11,580;  in  1880, 
14,493. 


0^ 


;\i«" 


fl^^*^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

FERTILE  LANDS  OF   CASS— ITS  GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS— COAL  MEASURES— DIFFERENT 

DEPOSITS— COAL— BUILDING  STONE— LEGISLATIVE  REPRESENTATIVES  FROM   CASS 

COUNTY  —  PRINCIPAL    COUNTY    OFFICERS   SINCE   FORMATION  —  ILLINOIS 

RIVER  ITEMS,  ETC. 


CASS  County,  being  highly  favored  with  fer- 
tile lands,  and  all  which,  with  industry, 
goes  to  make  up  wealth,  has  prospered  ever 
since  it  was  formed.  In  the  beginning  it  had 
but  little  developed  wealth.  A  few  farms 
scattered  along  the  edges  of  the  timbered 
lands  or  in  the  river  bottom-lands  and  the 
little  town  of  Beardstown  was  about  all. 
But  notwithstanding  its  small  territory,  it  has 
bounded  along  and  now  competes  with  its 
most  progressive  neighbors.  Its  prairie  and 
bottom  lands  are  now  in  cultivation,  and 
great  farms  and  substantial  farm  houses  now 
stand  where  a  few  years  since  were  waste 
places.  A  few  years  ago  the  barren  lands, 
(so-called  because  a  former  growth  of  timber 
was  supposed  to  have  exhausted  the  soil)  were 
unsettled,  and  considered  almost  worthless, 
but  now  they  are  known  to  be  very  produc- 
tive, especially  for  wheat,  and  have  been  all 
taken  up  and  mostly  cultivated.  Also  the 
sand-ridges  scattered  along  the  river  bottoms 
are  found  to  be  profitable  for  the  production 
of  melons,  sweet  potatoes,  beans,  etc.,  and 
have  been  turned  to  account  for  these  pur- 
poses. Our  cities  and  towns  are  in  a  prosper- 
ous condition,  having  their  fair  share  of 
manufactories,  and  commerce  and  other 
means  of  continued  prosperity.  We  have 
the  Illinois  river  and  abundance  of  railroads 
for  business  and  pleasure  ;  the  St.  Louis  & 
Rock  Island,  Peoria,  Pekin  &  Jacksonville, 
and  Chicago  &  Alton  R.  R.'s  running  north 
and  south,  and  the  Beardstown   and  Spring- 


field branch  of  the  O.  &  M.,  running  east  and 
west. 

The  history  of  the  present  generation  of 
the  prominent  and  representative  people  of 
Cass  County  will  be  found  in  the  biographies 
and  in  the  description  of  its  cities,  towns  and 
business,  as  set  forth  in  other  parts  of  this 
work,  and  which  will  form  a  continuation  of 
this  history. 

Cass  County  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Mason  County,  on  the  east  by  Menard  County, 
on  the  south  by  Morgan  County,  and  on 
the  west  by  the  centre  of  the  channel  of  the 
Illinois  river.  Its  superficial  area  is  about 
four  hundred  and  sixty  square  miles.  The 
level  of  its  high  prairie  lands  is  about  six 
hundred  and  thirty  feet  above  that  of  the 
ocean,  forty-five  feet  above  the  level  of  Lake 
Michigan,  and  three  hundred  and  forty  feet 
above  low  water  at  Cairo,  in  the  Illinois 
river. 

The  surface  of  the  county  is,  for  the  most 
part,  gently  undulating,  becoming  hilly  and 
broken  only  along  the  courses  of  the  streams. 
In  the  western  part,  along  the  Illinois  river, 
there  is  a  strip  of  bottom  land,  varying  in 
width  from  three  and  one-half  to  five  miles. 
This  extends  also  along  the  Sangamon  river, 
on  the  northern  border. 

The  soil  of  the  prairie  portion  of  this  county 
is  the  same  as  that  in  the  whole  of  this  por- 
tion of  the  State,  a  dark-colored  loam  with  a 
lighter  colored  clay  sub-soil.  On  the  ridges 
and  bluffs   which  skirt  the  streams,  we  find 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


53 


this  sub-soil  everywhere,  except  upon  the 
Loess  formation,  exposed  at  the  suifacj  of 
the  ground,  and  •generally  bearing  a  heavy 
growth  of  timber.  On  the  bottom  lands  the 
soil  is  an  alluvial  arenaceous  loam,  and,  ex- 
cepting in  localities  where  the  sand  too 
greatly  predominates,  is  an  excellent  and 
productive  soil. 

The  principal  kinds  of  timber  upon  the  up- 
lands are  the  common  varieties  of  oak,  hickory, 
elm,  sugar  maple,  black  and  white  walnut, 
linden,  and  various  species  which  are  rather 
less  frequent.  On  the  bottoms  there  are  the 
willow,  soft  maple,  ash,  sycamore,  cottonwood, 
water  oak,  etc.,  in  addition  to  some  of  the  he- 
fore-mentioned  species,  forming  a  consider- 
able proportion  of  the  timber.  The  propor- 
tion of  prairie  to  wooded  land  is  probably 
nearly  evenly  divided. 

The  geological  formations  in  this  county 
consist  of  the  Quaternary  deposits,  the  Loess 
and  Drift,  and  the  Coal  Measures,  which  alone 
of  the  older  formation  underlie  the  surface 
beds  of  clay,  gravel,  etc.  The  Loess  forms 
the  bluffs  along  the  Illinois  and  Sangamon 
bottoms.  Its  general  features  here  are  the 
same  as  in  the  other  river  counties,  and  it 
forms  the  same  bold  bluffs  that  are  seen  in 
other  localities  along  the  Illinois  and  Missis- 
sippi Rivers.  The  material  here  is  an  ash  or 
buif-colored  marly  sand,  containing  fossil 
fresh-water  shells  of  existing  species.  The 
thickness  of  the  formation  is  considerable, 
some  sixty  or  seventy  feet  immediately  at  the 
bluffs,  but  it  rapidly  thins  out  in  the  back 
country,  in  many  places  disapjiearing  entirely 
within  a  very  short  distance.  It  appears  to 
extend  the  farthest  inland  along  the  Sanga- 
mon River  north  of  Virginia,  and  several  good 
sections  of  this  deposit  may  be  seen  in  the 
cuts  on  the  Peoria,  Pekin  and  Jacksonville 
Railroad,  between  that  place  and  Chandler- 
ville. 

The  Drift  Deposits  consist  of  brown,  yellow 


and  blue  clays,  with  boulders,  while  sand  and 
gravel  seams  are  of  frequent  occurrence  amid 
the  mass.  The  thickness  can  hardly  be  esti- 
mated, as  experiments  have  not  been  made, 
but  will  probably  range  between  forty  and 
one  hundred  feet. 

Coal  Measures,  so  far  as  developed,  com- 
prises a  thickness  of  over  three  hundred  feet 
of  the  middle  and  lower  portion  of  the  series, 
and  contains  two  or  three  seams  of  coal  of 
workable  thickness.  The  principal  exposures, 
commencing  with  the  lowest,  are  as  follows: 

In  the  southwest  part  of  section  21,  town- 
ship 18,  range  11,  where  the  wagon  road  be- 
tween Virginia  and  Beardstown  comes  down 
through  the  bluffs  to  the  bottom  lands  along 
the  Illinois  river,  there  are  several  old  coal 
shafts,  only  one  of  which  (late  Mr.  Kinney's) 
is  now  worked.  This  is  reported  to  have 
afforded  the  following  section: 

1.  Soil  (Loess) 15  feet. 

2.  Brownish  sandstone,  containing  many  vegeta- 

ble impressions 13  '' 

3.  Limestone  ("  Blue  Rocli  ") 2  " 

4.  Clay  Shale  ("Soapstone") 12  " 

5.  Coal  (No.  1  of  Illinois  river  section) 3  " 

6.  Fire  clay,  very  hard 4  " 

No.  3  of  this  section  crops  out  along  the 
bluff  road,  at  the  edge  of  the  bluffs,  and  a 
few  rods  farther  west,  in  ledges  several  feet 
in  vertical  exposure.  It  is  a  soft  micaceous 
sandstone,  of  a  light  brown  or  whitish  brown 
color,  and  appears  slightly  crumbling  at  this 
locality.  Aliout  a  quarter  of  a  mile  further 
north  the  coal  seam  No.  4  is  reported  to  have 
been  reached  by  digging  in  at  the  foot  of  the 
bluff  and  worked  by  stripping.  Still  farther 
to  the  northward,  in  the  northwest  quarter  of 
the  same  section,  in  an  old  quarry  on  the  side 
of  the  bluff,  a  little  to  the  right  of  the  wagon 
road,  is  an  exposure  of  about  ten  feet  in 
thickness,  of  a  heavy  bedded  sandstone,  the 
same  as  that  which  is  met  with  in  the  shaft, 
and  exposed  on  the  roadside  near  by.     A  lit- 


5-t 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


tie  farther  northeast,  near  the  eastern  line  of 
section  16,  the  coal  seam  is  said  to  appear 
again,  and  to  have  been  worked  to  a  slight 
extent  in  the  side  of  a  ravine  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  road. 

Above  the  north  line  of  section  21,  the 
bluffs,  for  about  two  miles,  are  mostly  of 
Loess,  and  it  is  necessary  to  go  up  the  side 
ravines  in  order  to  see  the  exposures  of 
rock.  About  half  a  mile  up  the  large  ra- 
vine, which  cuts  through  the  bluffs  in  the 
southern  part  of  section  10,  on  the  eastern 
side,  there  is  another  exposure  of  the  sand- 
stone (No.  2  of  the  section),  and  a  little  above 
this,  near  the  northwest  corner  of  section  14, 
there  is  about  ten  feet  exposed  of  the  shales 
No.  4,  capped  by  a  single  layer  of  limestone 
two  feet  thick  (No.  3). 

The  coal  seam  must  be  very  near  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ravine  at  this  point,  but  it  is  not 
exposed. 

The  outcrops  of  the  sandstone  continue  up 
this  ravine  and  its  branches  in  the  eastern 
part  of  section  14  and  the  western  part  of 
section  15,  for  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
above  this  point,  and  then  disappear  entirely. 
The  rock  is,  in  most  respects,  the  same  as  in 
the  localities  before  described,  a  soft,  even 
textured  sandstone,  varying  in  color  from 
brownish  red  to  a  dirty  white,  and  in  some 
portions  having  a  light  bluish  tinge  and  a 
slightly  variegated  appearance. 

It  contains  a  great  abundance  of  fossil 
vegetable  remains,  calamites,  etc.,  but  from 
the  nature  of  the  rock  very  few  are  found  in 
a  good  state  of  preservation. 

From  the  mouth  of  this  ravine,  for  a  short 
distance  to  the  northeast,  along  the  face  of 
the  bluffs,  there  are  no  very  good  exposures 
of  any  of  the  beds.  There  seems  to  be  here, 
however,  a  low  anticlinal,  the  strata  having 
gradually  risen  until,  at  this  point,  the  coal 
seam  No.  4  has  been  worked  by  drifting  into 
the  side  of  the  bluff  almost  midway  between 


the  base  and  summit.  The  crown  of  the  arch 
is  very  near  this  point,  and  the  direction  of 
the  axis  of  the  fold  must  be,  judging  from  ap- 
pearances, about  southeast. 

The  seam  of  coal  is  said  to  be  about  three 
feet  thick  at  this  point,  but  at  present  only 
the  entrances  to  the  old  drifts  and  the  debris 
can  be  seen,  no  work  having  been  done  here 
for  a  number  of  years. 

A  short  distance  further  along  the  bluff 
road,  nearly  on  the  line  between  sections  10 
and  11,  another  large  ravine  opens  out,  and 
the  rock  again  appears.  The  coal  seam  was 
formerly  worked  also  at  this  point,  at  a  level 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  above  the  road, 
though  its  outcrop  is  not  now  visible.  Just 
below  the  level  of  the  old  drift  there  is  an 
outcrop  of  what  appears  to  be  a  nodular  ar- 
gillaceous limestone,  which  is  probably  just 
underlying  the  fire-clay. 

Above  the  opening  of  the  drift  the  Shale 
No.  4  appears,  and  still  higher  up  the  bank 
the  Limestone  No.  3  has  been  slightly  quar- 
ried, and  above  all  the  sandstone  No.  2  ap- 
pears, but  at  present  the  debris  of  the  sand- 
stone and  shale  covers  all  the  lines  of  junc- 
tion, and  no  very  reliable  measurements  of  the 
thickness  of  the  beds  can  be  taken.  The 
sandstone  continues  to  appear  in  the  sides  of 
the  ravine,  and  in  the  bed  of  the  small  stream 
which  occupies  it  for  upwards  of  half  a  mile. 
Its  total  thickness,  although  in  no  place  so 
fully  exposed  as  to  afford  an  opportunity  for 
accurate  measurement,  can  hardly  be  less 
than  fifty  or  sixtj'  feet. 

East  of  the  mouth  of  this  ravine,  through 
the  northern  half  of  section  11,  this  sandstone 
appears  in  ledges  in  the  bluffs,  at  an  elevation 
of  fifty  feet  or  more  above  the  road,  and  has 
been  quarried  in  some  of  the  small  ravines. 
In  one  of  these  ravines,  in  the  Northeast 
quarter  of  section  11,  there  was  a  single  out- 
crop of  the  coal  seam,  the  exposed  thickness 
I   of  which  is  about  three  feet.     This  is  on  the 


HISTOiiY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


55 


Northeastern  slope  of  the  anticlinal,  and  only 
a  little  fui'tlier  on  the  Loess  and  Alluvium 
come  down  to  the  road,  and  the  exposures  of 
rock  cease  to  appear  for  the  distance  of  sever- 
al miles. 

Leaving  the  last  mentioned  localities,  and 
continuinof  eastward  alongr  the  base  of  the 
bluffs,  the  next  prominent  exposure  is  met 
with  near  the  center  of  the  western  part  of 
section  ten,  township  eighteen,  range  ten,  on 
the  left  bank  of  Job's  creek,  just  above  the 
])oint  where  it  comes  out  of  the  bluffs  and  enters 
the  bottoms.  Here  the  Sandstone  No.  two 
lias  been  quarried  in  the  hillside,  some  thirty 
feet  or  more  above  the  water,  presenting  pre- 
cisely the  same  appearance  as  at  the  other 
localities  already  mentioned.  The  lower  beds 
of  limestone  and  shale,  and  the  coal  seams,  if, 
indeed,  they  occur  above  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine  at  all,  are  completely  hidden  by  the 
fragments  and  debris  from  above.  The  sand- 
stone appears  again  at  one  or  two  points 
further  east,  within  the  distance  of  one  mile, 
in  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  ten,  and 
almost  on  the  line  between  sections  ten  and 
eleven. 

The  only  remaining  locality  in  Gass  County, 
where  the  older  rocks  appear  at  the  surface, 
or  are  artificially  exposed,  is  on  Panther  creek, 
near  Chandlerville,  in  sections  five  and  six, 
township  eighteen,  range  nine.  A  shallow 
coal  shaft  in  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 
six,  afforded  the  following  section  : 

feet,   inches. 

1.  Surface  .«oiI 4 

2.  Gravel  (blue  bind) 4 

3.  Black  slate 2 

4.  Clay  shale  (soapstone) LS 

5.  Coal 2        6 

6.  Fir-'   clay,   passing   (lownw.arJ     into 

nodular    limestone 2 

7-   Clay,  penetrated 2 

The  shale  and  slate  appear  in  the  bank  of 
the  creek  for  upwards  of  half  a  mile  above  the 
coal  diggings,  seldom  rising  more  than  two 
or    three    feet  above    the  water's   edge.     No 


fossils  were  discovered.  It  seems  quite  prob- 
able that  this  seam  of  coal  is  the  same  as  that 
in  the  exposures  further  west,  although  from 
the  lack  of  continuity  in  the  exposures,  and 
other  sufficient  evidence,  it  may,  perhaps, 
be  best  to  refer  to  it  only  provisionally. 

Coal. — All  parts  of  Cass  County  appear  to 
be  underlaid  by  the  coil  measures,  which  here 
include  the  horizon  of  four  or  five  different 
seams  of  coal.  It  seems  highly  probable,  in- 
deed, that  there  is  no  portion  of  the  county, 
excepting  the  bottom  lands  along  the  Illinois 
and  Sangamon  rivers,  that  is  not  underlaid  by 
at  least  one  coal  bed  of  workable  thickness. 
The  lowest  of  these  seams,  which  is  exposed 
or  worked  anywhere  in  this  region  is  prob- 
ably the  coal  No.  1  of  the  general  sec- 
tion of  the  State,  identical  with  the  Exeter 
coal  of  Soott  County,  although  it  is  possible 
that  it  may  prove  to  be  No.  2  of  the  general 
section,  or  the  same  as  the  Neeleyville  coal  in 
Morgan  County. 

The  ab.sence  of  black  slate  in  the  roof  and 
the  great  thickness  of  the  sandstone  above, 
are  facts  which  seem  to  slightly  favor  this 
view,  but  are,  however,  not  conclusive. 

The  absence  of  exposures  in  the  southwest- 
ern portion  of  Cass  County  is  to  be  regretted, 
as  not  affording  the  means  of  positively  de- 
termining this  question. 

This  seam  of  coal  is  now  actively  worked 
at  only  one  or  tvro  points  in  Cass  County,  al- 
though it  was  formerly  much  more  extensively 
mined  along  its  out-crop  on  the  side  of  the 
bluffs  of  the  Illinois  and  Sangamon  rivers. 
The  seam  will  average  three  feet  in  thick- 
ness, and  is  of  fair  quality.  The  discontin- 
uance of  the  most  of  the  mining  operations 
was  mainly  due  to  the  small  local  demmd 
and  the  competition  of  other  mines  in  the 
adjoining  counties  on  the  Illinois  rivej. 

Building  Stone. — The  brownish  sandstone 
which  occurs  in  very  heavy  beds  above  the 
roof  shales  of  coal  No.  3,  promises  well  for 


56 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


this  purpose.  It  is  usually  of  a  reddish-brown 
color,  though  in  some  places  it  approaches  a 
dirty  white,  or  has  a  bluish  tinge,  is  very  soft 
and  easily  dressed  when  first  quarried  out, 
but  is  said  to  harden  on  exposure.  At  the 
junction  of  this  rock  and  the  underlying 
shales  there  is  generally  from  one  to  three 
feet  in  thickness  of  limestone,  which  has  been 
also  quarried  to  some  extent  at  a  few  points. 
The  quantity  of  this  sandstone  is  such  that  it 
is  practically  inexhaustible;  it  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  all  parts  of  it  will  not  be  found  to 
answer  equally  well  as  a  building  stone. 

OrnicE  Building  Materials.^ — -Limestones 
suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  a  fine  article 
of  quicklime  are  found  wherever  limestone 
can  be  obtained  for  building  stone.  Some 
selection,  however,  has  to  be  made  among  the 
beds  at  some  points  for  a  material  which  will 
afford  an  article  of  lime  suitable  to  supply 
the  local  needs. 

Clay  and  sand  for  brick  making  are  found 
in  abundance  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  and 
will  probably  become  one  of  the  chief  sources 
of  building  material  in  those  parts  distant 
from  available  stone  quarries. 

The  general  surface  configuration  and  soils 
of  the  county  have  been  noticed  in  this 
sketch,  and  but  little  more  need  lie  said  on 
that  branch  of  the  subject.  The  soil  of  the 
upland  prairies  takes  rank  with  the  best  in 
Central  Illinois  in  general  agricultural  value. 
The  soil  of  the  timbered  portions  is  also  pro- 
ductive when  properly  cultivated. 

Along  the  Illinois  and  Sangamon  rivers,  in 
the  bottom  lands,  there  are  occasinnal  sandy 
tracts  or  ridges,  generally  covered,  before 
being  put  into  cultivation,  with  a  dense 
growth  of  stunted  oak  and  black-jack,  and 
frequently  with  prickly  pears,  which  are,  of 
course,  inferior  in  richness  of  soil,  but  which 
are  of  late  years  being  successfully  used  in 
the  cultivation  of  melons,  sweet-potatoes, 
beans,  grapes,  etc.;  but,  as  a  general  thing,  the 


soil  of  these  bottoms  is  a  deep  rich  arenace- 
ous loam,  which,  when  sufficiently  elevated, 
or  properly  drained,  or  guarded  with  dykes 
to  prevent  overflows  of  water  from  the  rivers, 
is  one  of  the  most  productive  soils  in  the 
State. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  which  a 
large  portion  of  the  farmers  of  Cass  County 
will  have  to  encounter  in  the  future,  is  the 
washing  of  hilly  uplands  by  heavy  rams, 
and  the  consequent  covering  and  ruin  of  rich 
bottom  lands  by  sand  and  poor  clay  silt.  Al- 
ready much  damage  and  many  lawsuits  have 
grown  out  of  it,  and  unless  some  concerted 
and  united  action  is  had  by  the  parties  inter- 
ested, the  future  will  bring  much  greater 
damage  and  increased  litigation.  Another 
important  matter  that  should  be  taken  into 
consideration,  is  the  frequent  and  destructive 
overflow  of  the  creeks.  This  could  be  rem- 
edied in  most  instances  by  straightening  the 
creeks  by  cutting  channels  across  the  bends, 
and  removing  the  drift  wood  from  the  bed, 
by  a  combination  of  neighborhoods,  all  those 
interested  working  together  for  the  common 
good  ;  or  a  remedy  could  be  had  under  the 
drainage  law. 

But  the  above  remarks  are  sufficient  for  a 
general  description  of  the  county  and  its 
wealth-producing  qualities.  For  the  geo- 
logical facts  herein  contained  I  have  mostly 
drawn  on  the  "  Economical  Geology  of  Illi- 
nois," a  work  of  undoubted  authority. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  resident 
representatives  of  Cass  County  in  the  Legis- 
lature : 

William  Holmes for  the  yours  18-38-40 

Amos  S.  West "        "         1840-42 

David  Epler "        "         1842-44 

John  M.  Pratt "        "         1842-4(3 

Francis  Arenz ''        "         1844-4tj 

Edward  W.  Turner. "        "         1846-48 

Richard  S.  Thomas "        "         1848-50 

Cyrus  Wright "        "         18.52^54 

Samuel  Christy "        "         185G-58 


HISTORY  OF 

VHy.  E.  Dumraer,  Senator "  "  1860-6-t 

Frederick   Rearick. "  "  lfjBO-62 

James  M.  Epler :..  "  "  1862-61 

James  M.  Epler "  "  1866-68 

James  M.  Epler,  Senator "  "  1868-72 

Williara  W.  Easley "  "  1870-74 

John  F.  Snyder "  "  1878-80 

John  W.  Savage. "  "  1878-80 

J.  Henry  Shaw "  "  1880-82 

Tlic  principal  officers  of  Cass  County  since 
its  formation,  are  as  follows  : 

COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS,  CASS  COUNTY. 


CASS  COUNTY. 


57 


Joshua  P.  Crow. 


Amos  Bonney [■  Elected  August  7,  1837. 

George  F.  Miller  J 

Joshua  P.  Crow. 

Amos  Bonney. 

Isaac  C.  Spence Elected  August  6,  1838. 

Amos  Bonney. 

John  C.  Scott Elected  August  3,  1840,  for  3  years. 

Marcus  Chandler. . .  "  "  2     " 

John  C.  Scott. 

Marcus  Chandler. 

W.  J.  Dellaven Elected  August,  1841. 

John  C.  Scoit. 

W.  J.  DeHaven. 

Robert  Leeper Elected  August,  1842. 

John  C.  Scott. 

W.  J.  De  Haven. 

Henry  McHenry. .  .Elected  December  26,  1843. 

W.  J.  DeHaven. 

Henry  McHenry. 

Jesse  B.  Pence Elected  August  7,  1843. 

Henry  McHenry. 

J.  B.  Pence. 

George  B.  Thompson . Elected  August,  1844. 

J.  B.  Pence. 

George  B.  Thompson. 

Wm.  McHenry. .  .Elected  Ist  Monday  of  August,  1845. 

J.  B.  Thompson. 
William  McHenry. 

Henry  McHenry.  .Elected  1st  Monday  of  August,  1846. 

William  McHenry. 

Henry  McHenry. 

George  H.  Nolte.  .Elected  1st  Monday  of  August,  1847. 


Henry  McHenry. 
George  H.  Nolte. 
Geo.  W.  Weaver.  .Elected  Ist  Monday  of  August,  1848. 

COUNTY  COURT,   ESTABLISHED   1849. 

James  Shaw,  Judge ■> 

William  Taylor,  Associate  [-Elected  November 6,  1849. 
Thomas  Plaster,  Associate  i 

James  Shaw,  Judge. 

Thomas  Plaster,  Associate. 

Jacob  Ward,  Associate Elected  May  19,  1851. 

John  A.  Arenz,  Judge  ....■> 

Isaac  Epler,  Associate,,,,  I  Elected  November,  1853. 

Sylvester  Paddock. J 

John  A.  Arenz,  Judge. 

Sylvester  Paddock,  Associate. 

John  M.  Short,  Associate Elected  November,  1855. 

H.  C.  Havekluft,  Judge...  % 

Wm.  McHenry,  Associate.  \  Elected  November,  1857. 

G.  W.  Shawen,  Associate.  J 

F.  H.  Rearick,  Judge Elected  November,  1861. 

Wm.  McHenry,  Associate. 

G.  W.  Shawen,  Associate. 

John  A.  Arenz,  Judge ■> 

Jennings  G.  Mathis,  Associate  \  Elected  November,  1865. 
Samuel  Smith,  Associate. ...  J 

Alexander  Huffman,  Judge  -i 

Andrew  Struble,  ^«socia(e.  [-Elected  November,  1869. 

Jepthah  Plaster,  Associate.  J 

F.  H.  Rearick,  Judge Elected  February  24,  1872. 

Andrew  Struble,  Associate. 
Jepthah  Plaster,  Associate. 

John  W.  Savage,  Judge Elected  November,  1873. 

Jacob  W.  Rearick,  Judge Elected  November,  1877. 

COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS. 

Wm.  Campbell . .  \ 

John  H.  Melone.  I Elected  Nov.  1873. 

Robert  Fieldcn. .  ; 

William  Campbell. 

John  M.  Melone. 

Luke  Dunn Elected  November,  1875. 

John  JI.  Melone. 

Luke  Dunn. 

Robert  Crum Elected  1876. 


5S 


HISTUKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Luke  Dunn. 

Robert.  Orum. 

Robert  Clark Elected  1877. 

Robert  Crura. 
Robert  Clark. 
Thomas  Knight Elected  1878. 

Robert  Clark. 

Thomas  Knight. 

Robert  Crura Re  elected  1879. 

Thomas  Knight. 

Robert  Crura. 

Lewis  C.  Hackman Elected  1880. 

Robert  Crum. 

Lewis  C.  Hackman. 

Luke  Dunn Re-elected  1881. 

PROBATE  JU.STICES — 1837  TO  1849. 

John  S.  Wilbourne Elected  August  7,  1837 

Joshvia  P.  Crow "  "  1839 

I  Alexander  Ilutfmann "  "  1841 

"•H.   E.   Dummer "  "  1843 

Hulelt  Clark "  "  1847 

^  H.  E.  Duraraer "      May  13,     1849 

SHERIFFS. 

Lemon  Plasters Elected  August  7,  1837 

John  Savage '•  "  1841 

Joseph  M.  McLean "  "  1848 

J.  B.  Fulks "    November,  18.50 

William  Pitner "  "  1852 

James  Taylor "  "  18-54 

James  A.  Dick "  "  1856 

Francis  H.  Rearick "  "  1858 

James   Taylor "  "  1860 

Charles  E.  Yeck "  "  1862 

James  A.  Dick "  "  1864 

Charles  E.  Yeck "  "  1866 

Thomas  Chapman "  "  1868 

Horace  Cowan "  "  1870 

George  Volkmar "  "  1872 

William  Epler "  "  1874 

A.  H.  Seilschott "  "  1876 

«'         "        "  "  1878 

«<        <■         "  "  1880 

CLERKS  OF  COUNTY  COMMISSIONERS'  COURT. 

John  M.  Pratt Elected  in  1837 

H.  H.  Carpenter. "         1845 

Lewis  F.  Sanders '. "         1847 


CLERKS  OF  THE  COUNTY  COURT. 

Lewis  F.  Sanders,    elected  in 1849 

Allen  J.  Hill,  "      1857    | 

James  B.  Black,  "   1873 

I 

CLERKS  OF  THE  CIRCUIT  COURT. 

Nathaniel  B.  Thompson,  appointed  by  the  Judge    1837 
James  Berry,  "  "         " 

date  of  appointment  not  known. 
Roddick  Horn,  appointed  by  the  Judge,  date  of 

appointment  not  known. 

Thomas  R.  Sanders,   elected  in 1848 

Sylvester  Eramons,  "  1852 

James  Taylor,  "     "         1856 

Henry  Phillips,  "         1860 

C.  F.  Diffenbacher,     «    1868 

Albert  F.  Arenz,  "         1872 

Thomas  V.  Finney,  "         1876 

Finis  E.  Downing  '<         1880 

SUPERINTENDENTS   OF  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION. 

Richard  S.Thomas 1845 

John  B.  Shaw 1849 

Frank   Holenger 1857 

James  K.    Vanderaark, 1861 

Harvey   Tate 1869 

John  Gore 1873 

Allen  J.  Hill, 1877 

state's  ATTORNEYS. 

Linus  C.  Chandler,     elected  in 1872 

Arthur  A.  Leeper,  "         1876 

Reuben  R.  Hewitt,  "         1880 

COUNTY  ASSESSORS  AND  TREASURERS. 

*Thoraas  Wibourue,  -v 

Isaac  W.  Overall      i 1837-1838 

William  W.  Babb,  ) 

*NOTE.— Thomas  Wilbourne  iv  as  elected  Treasurer,  Aug- 
7, 1837,  and  afterward  resigned,  anrl  Isaac  W  Overall  was 
elected  Deccmb;r  16, 18 !7,  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  office  and  entered  upon  its  duties,  but  his  elec- 
tion was  contested  by  William  W.  Babb,  and  Babb  was  de- 
clared the  rightfnl  incumbent. 

JIartin  F.  Higgius  was  re-elected  Assessor  and  Trea.surer. 
November  8, 1.8.5."!,  but  died  shortly  afterward,  and  Phineasr 
T  Underwood  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  re-elected 
in  185.5. 

John  L.  Cire  died  during  his  last  term  of  office,  and  John 
Rahn  was  appointed  by  the  County  Commissioners  to  fill  the 
vacancy,  and  he  was  elected  by  the  people  November  1881,  to 
fill  a  constitutional  interim  of  one  year. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


59 


William  H.   Nelms. 1838-1839 

Robert  G.  Games 1839-1847 

John  Craig 1847-1851 

Martin  F.  Higgins,       term  of  office 1851-1853 

Phineas  T.  Underwood,  "  1853-1857 

Frank  A.  Hammer,  "  1857-1859 

David  C.  Dilley,  "  185,1-1871 

rhillip  H.  Bailey,  "  1871-1873 

JohnL.  Cire,  "  1873-1881 

JohnRahn,  "  1881 

Illinois  River  Memoranda. — The  follow- 
ing we  have  collected  from  various  sources,  as 
■well  as  largely  from  our  own  observation : 

1640. — Twenty  years  after  the  settlement 
of  Plymouth  Colony,  the  Illinois  river  was  first 
navigated  by  white  men  in  pirogues  and  birch 
canoes,  and  Illinois  was  colnoized  by  French- 
men, and  added  to  the  French  DorainioM. 

1673. — Marquette  and  Joliet  with  five  fol- 
lowers, crossed  Wisconsin  in  canoes  to  the 
Mississippi  river,  down  that  stream  and  up  the 
Illinois  to  Lake  Michigan,  the  point  of  their 
departure,  the  entire  route  being  at  that  time, 
and  for  a  hundred  years  later,  navigable  for 
pirogues  and  canoes,  the  route  being  via  Green 
Bay,  and  the  Wisconsin,  Mississippi,  Illinois, 
Kankakee  and  St.  Joseph  rivers.  There  was 
another  navigable  connection,  during  the 
whole  of  that  period,  between  the  Illinois  and 
Lake  Michigan,  by  means  of  the  DesPlaines 
and  Chicago  rivers,  which  men  now  alive 
h:ive  traveled  in  pirogues,  all  the  way. 

1070,  Dec. — The  Illinois,  Kankakee  and  St. 
Joseph  route  was  navigated  by  La  Salle  and 
thirty-three  followers. 

1081,  Aug. — Illinois,  Kankakee  and  St. 
Joseph  route  again  navigated  by  La  Sallo 
and  party. 

1682. — La  Salle  and  party  navigated  the 
waters  from  Lake  Michigan,  across  Wiscon- 
sin, down  the  Mississippi,  up  the  Illinois, 
Kankakee  and  St.  Joseph,  to  the  lake.  At 
that  time  Beardstown  was  upon  an  island, 
the  water  surrounding  it  the  year  round, 
permanently. 


1687,  Sept.— The  Illinois,  Kankakee  and 
St.  Joseph  route  navigated  by  seven  French- 
men, mutineers  and  nmrderers  of  La  Salle, 
on  their  way  from  Arkansas  to  Lake  Michigan. 
1693. — Gravier  and  his  followers  settled  at 
Kaskaskia,  Cohokia  and  Peoria,  and  from  this 
time  for  fifty  years  the  Illinois  was  continually 
navigated  by  canoes,  pirogues,  and  other  s^mall 
boats. 

1725— The  first  of  the  four  greatest  floods 
of  the  Westen  rivers. 

1750 — Vivier  says  that  forty  vessels  from 
the  Illinois  River  landed  at  New  Orleans, 
laden  with  lumber,  brick,  beef,  tallow,  cotton, 
myrtle,  wax,  leather,  tobacco,  lead,  iron,  cop- 
per, wild  game,  tar,  skins,  furs,  pork,  bears' 
oil,  flour,  and  other  articles  of  produce. 

From  this  time  on  for  many  years,  the 
principal  part  of  the  produce  received  at  New 
Oileans  was  shipped  from  the  Illinois  River. 

1763 — LaClode  founded  St.  Louis,  which 
gave  a  new  impetus  to  commerce  in  the  Illi- 
nois River,  it  being  a  nearer  market.  At 
this  time  the  Illinois  country  was  ceded  by 
France  to  Great  Britain,  which  closed  the 
French  war. 

1772— Second  great  flood. 
1778 — Illinois  was  conquered  and  taken  from 
Great   Britain    by   Virginia,  and  was  added 
to  that  State,  and  named  Illinois  County. 

1785 — A  great  flood  on  the  Illinois  and  all 
Western  Rivers,  the  third  highest  ever  known. 

1786 — Another  great  flood.  The  Ohio  rose 
fifty-nine  feet  above  low  water  mark.  The 
stage  of  water  in  the  Illinois  River  is  not 
recorded  that  I  can  find,  but  known  to  be 
very  high. 

1792 — Another  great  flood.  The  Ohio  rose 
sixty-three  feet  above  low  watermark.  Stage 
of  the  Illinois  not  recorded,  but  very  high. 

1800 — The  population  of  Illinois,  on  the 
borders  of  its  rivers,  3,000. 

1810 — Great  flood  in  all  the  Western 
rivers.     The  Ohio  at   Pittsburg    higher   than 


60 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


ever  before  known.  Stage  of  the  Illinois  not 
recorded.  Steamer  "  Orleans,"  the  first  on 
Western  rivers,  built. 

1811 — On  the  16th  day  of  December  began 
the  most  remarkable  phenomena  that  ever 
occurred  in  North  America  :  an  earthquake, 
the  continued  shocks  of  which  lasted  for  the 
space  of  three  months,  a  longer  period  than 
ever  before  known  ;  the  effects  of  which 
were  felt  in  Illinois,  Missouri,  Tennessee, 
Kentucky  and  Arkansas,  the  focus  of  which 
seemed  to  be  about  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio. 
It  made  great  commotion  in  the  rivers,  the 
banks  of  which  caved  in  by  whole  acres  at  a 
time.  Large  islands  disappeared  under  the 
waters.  The  town  of  New  Madrid,  Missouri, 
was  destroyed,  and  the  river  now  runs  over 
part  of  its  former  site.  The  balance  of  it  is 
lower  by  twenty-five  feet  than  it  was  before. 
The  bed  of  the  river  just  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Ohio  raised  up  like  a  bow  and  turned  up 
stream,  until  its  pent-up  waters  with  accumu- 
lated force  swept  over  the  barrier  and  poured 
into  the  craters  and  fissures  of  the  ground, 
when  they  were  again  thrown  out  in  huge 
streams  higher  than  the  trees. 

The  river  was  navigated  at  that  time  by 
many  flat-boats  from  the  Illinois,  Uj)per 
Mississippi  and  Ohio  Rivers,  some  of  which 
were  swallowed  up  in  the  great  chasms  of 
the  river.  There  was  much  loss  of  life  and 
property.  Fortunately  at  that  time  the  coun- 
try was  sparsely  settled;  for  no  building  could 
have  withstood  its  fury. 

This  calamity  checked  the  commerce  of  the 
Illinois  River,  as  indeed  also  the  general  pros- 
perity of  the  Western  States.  All  immigra- 
tion stopped,  and  the  impression  became  gen- 
eral in  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States  that 
Illinois  and  Missouri  were  so  subject  to  earth- 
qialces,  as  to  be  forever  unsafe  as  a  place  of 
hibitation.  But  in  a  few  years  this  impres- 
sion with  its  attendant  fears  wore  away,  and 
iimnigration  a^ain  was  resumed. 


There  have  been  but  two  earthquakes  in 
Illinois  since  that  time,  one  in  1840  and  the 
other  in  1862;  both  slight  shocks;  the  one  in 
1840,  however,  doing  some  little  damage  to 
brick  buildings  and  chiitineys. 

1815 — The  steamer  "Enterprise  "  iniilt,  and 
run  from  New  Orleans  to  Louisville,  the  first 
steamboat  which  ever  run  up  stream  in 
the  AVestern  rivers.  The  "Orleans"  was 
able  only  to  run  down  stream,  and 
had  to  be  cordelled  back.  From  1815,  steam- 
boats multiplied  very  fast,  and  the  pirates, 
who  in  large  numbers  had  infested  the  west- 
ern rivers,  began  to  disappear,  and  finally 
ceased  their  depredations  altogether. 

1826,  June  2. — The  Illinois  and  Mississippi 
were  higher  than  before  known  for  forty  years. 
The  river  was  up  to  Main  street,  in  St.  Louis, 
which  caused  great  destruction  of  property. 

1827.— Steamer  "Mechanic,"  John  S. 
Clark,  captain,  first  steamboat  ever  up  the  Illi- 
nois river. 

1828. — Another  great  flood,  supposed  to  be 
as  great  as  that  of  1T92. 

]  829. — Beardstown  was  founded  by  Thomas 
Beard. 

1830,  31. — The  great  snow,  six  feet  deep. 

1836. — The  Illinois  and  Mississippi  again 
flooded.  The  water  at  St.  Louis  was  fifty- 
four  feet  above  low  water  mark,  being  nine 
feet  ten  inches  higher  than  in  1810. 

18  57.^Stoamer  "Wave  "  burned  near  Peru; 
one  man  lost,  a  passenger,  who  was  drowned. 

1844. — This  was  the  greatest  flood  on  rec- 
ord in  this  or  any  other  country,  since  the 
days  of  Noah.  Every  river  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies  and  north  of  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  rose 
simultaneously,  and  the  channel  of  the  Miss- 
issippi was  unable  to  pass  out  the  vast  amount 
of  water  which  came  into  it.  Four  hundred 
human  beings,  and  a  great  number  of  horses 
cattle  and  other  stock  lost  their  lives. 

The  water  was  one  foot  deep  on  Main 
Street,    in   Beardstown,  and  this    city   again 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


61 


became  an  island,  with  ten  feet  depth  of  water 
between  it  and  the  bluffs.  The  water  rose 
to  a  level  with  the  second  story  windows  on 
Front  Street,  St.  Louis.  A  great  many  towns 
were  inundated  and  houses  washed  away. 

The  four  greatest  floods  on  the  Mississippi 
River  and  its  tributaries,  within  the  last  150 
years,  are  those  of  1725,  1773,  1785  and 
1814. 

ISiS — "  Planter"  exploded  and  burned  at 
Jones'  Ferry  on  the  Illinois  River.  Five 
persons  were  killed  and  many  scalded,  some 
of  whom  afterward  died.  The  captain 
escaped  harm,  but  was  shortly  afterward 
killed  by  the  explosion  of  the  "  Saluda,"  on 
the  Missouri  River. 

184:9- -Another  flood  this  year.  The  water 
was  on  a  level  with  Main  Street,  in  Beards- 
town,  and  again  it  became  an  island.  The 
people  on  the  lower  Mississippi  suffered  more 
than  in  184-1,  on  account  of  crevasses,  their 
losses  amounting  to  $30,030,000.  The  water 
was  ten  feet  deep  in  some  of  ths  streets  of 
New  Orleans.  At  this  time,  and  for  several 
years  afterward,  steamboating  on  the  Illinois 
River  arrived  at  the  zenith  of  its  glory  and 
prosperity.  During  these  years  it  boasted 
the  finest  vessels  which  ever  flouted  on  its 
waters  ;  among  vphich  were  the  Die  Vernon, 
Prairie  State,  Cataract,  Garden  City,  Ocean 
Wave,  Belle  Gould,  Polar  Star,  and  many 
others  ;  they  were  truly  floating  palaces,  and 
the  travel  was  upon  the  river  and  canal  ex- 
clusively, there  being  no  railroad  convenient 
for  that  class  of  travelers.  Oa  May  17th  of 
this  y-ear,  occurred  the  great  confligratiou  in 
St.  Louis,  by  which  several  whole  blocks  of 
buildings  and  twenty-three  steamboats  were 
burned,  among  which  were  the  Prairie  State 
and  Acadii,  Illinois  River  packets. 

1850 — Financier,  an  Illinois  River  packet, 
exploded  at  Alton.     Seven  lives  lost. 

1851  —  August  20,  Dacotah  exploded  at 
Peoria;  eleven  lives  lost.     November  27,  Die 


Vernon  and  Archer  collided  three  miles  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River;  the  Archer 
sank  immediately;  tvventy-three  persons  were 
drowned,  whose  names  were  known,  also  quite 
a  number  on  deck,  whose  names  were  un- 
known. In  this  year  there  were  two  floods, 
the  two  continuing  so  long  as  to  cause  more 
damage  than  any  former  one.  The  water  was 
highest  on  the  11th  of  June,  when  it  was  four 
feet  nine  inches  lower  than  the  high  water 
mark  of  1844. 

1852 — Prairie  State  No.  2  exploded  April 
25th,  at  Pekin;  twenty  lives  lost.  In  April, 
the  Illinois  was  very  high,  but  no  unusual 
damage  was  done.  The  Ohio  rose  as  high  as 
in  1832,  doing  an  immense  injury  to  prop- 
erty. 

185G — Illinois  River  on  a  level  with  Main 
street,  running  over  at  one  place,  Lafayette 
Street.  March  22,  Tropic  and  Challenge 
first  boats  up.  Ocean  Spray  burned.  De- 
cember 14,  river  closed. 

In  1852  and  185G,  during  the  high  water, 
first-class  steamboats  went  entirely  around 
Beardstown  without  anv  difficulty. 

1857 — February  18,  Brazil  first  boat  up. 
River  moderate.  November  19,  river  closed. 
December  1,  opened  and  remained  navigable 
until  Fe'iruary  19,  when  it  closed. 

1858 — March  11,  river  opened;  Adriatic 
first  boat  up.  River  did  not  close  again. 
Prairie  State  collapsed  a  flue;  one  man  killed. 
This  spring  the  river  was  very  high,  being 
nearly  as  high  as  in  1844.  The  water  crossed 
over  Main  Street,  and  all  the  lower  parts 
covered.  The  city  again  an  island,  and  a  first- 
class  steamer,  loaded  with  passengers,  went 
around  it. 

1859. — January  21,  River  closed  for  the 
first  time.  Open  to  St.  Louis  on  the  28th. 
February  3,  closed  again.  February  16,  F. 
X.  Aubry  first  boat  up.     December  15,  closed. 

I860.— February  21,  Polar  Star  first  boat 
up.     Belle    Peoria    burned.      November   24, 


62 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


river  closed.  December  7,  Sam  Young  came 
up.  December  13,  river  closed.  January  1, 
deep  snow  ;  very  cold  ;  railroads  generally 
blocked  up  ;  mails  stopped  ;  and  traveling 
suspended  two  weeks. 

1861. — February  16,  Polar  Star  first  boat 
up.  Still  very  cold  ;  some  ice  running.  Feb- 
ruary 22,  Minnesota  Belle  came  up.  Decem- 
ber 36,  river  closed. 

1862.-  March  12,  Minnesota  Belle  first 
boat  up.  December  6,  river  over  the  Schuy- 
ler bottom  lands,  and  closed.  December  12, 
river  open.     La  Salle  first  boat  up. 

1863. — February  3,  river  closed  until  Feb- 
ruary 13.  Lacon  first  boat  down.  December 
9,  river  closed. 

1864. — February  2,  Schuyler  first  boat  up. 
February  16,  river  closed.  February  22,  riv- 
er opeu.  From  September  1  until  October 
13,  only  two  feet  of  water  in  channel,  and  nav- 
igation suspended.      December  9,  river  closed 

1865.— February  30,  City  of  Pekin  first 
boat  up.  December  13,  river  closed.  De- 
cember 21,  thermoneter  14°  below  0,  Fahren- 
heit.    December  33, 14°  below. 

1866. — January  31,  six  o'clock  p.  .m.,  tlier. 
mometor  4°  above,  with  heavy  rain,  freezing 
as  it  fell,  and  heavy  thunder  and  lightning 
mercury  falling  rapidly  meantime,  until  nine 
o'clock  P.  M.  it  stood  8°  below,  where  it  stood 
until  morning.  Thunder  and  lightning  listed 
one  hour,  say  until  seven  o'clock  p.  Jt.  It 
will  require  a  skillful  meteorologist  to  explain 
these  phenomena.  February  loth,  thermoin- 
eter  36°  below  at  Beardstovvii,  which  was  the 
coldest  day  ever  known  in  this  county.  In 
the  northern  counties  of  this  State  it  ranged 
from  30  to  40°  belovF.  February  16,  ther- 
mometer 16°  below.  March  1,  Schuyler  first 
boat  up;  river  over  bottom  lands.  Steamer 
Farragut  collided  with  the  Meredosia  bridge, 
whereby  the  canal  boat  Ajax,  with  entire 
cargo  was  lost,  and  .John  Quigg  drowned. 
The  Ajax  was  in  tow  of  the  Farragut.    March 


17,  thermometer  7°  above,  but  river  remained 
open.  Fall  quite  warm  and  pleasant  until 
December  11;  turned  cold,  mercury  8°  above. 
December  13,  4°  above,  and  ice  running  thin. 
Illinois  run  down  in  the  morning,  cutting  her 
way  through.  Same  day  river  got  clear  of  ice 
and  B'arragut  went  down.  December  15, 
snowed  six  inches;  weather  moderate;  36° 
above,  but  ice  running;  17th,  3°  below;  19th, 
river  opened  and  boats  run  until  Christmas; 
25th,  ice  running;  and  26th,  river  closed,  2 
above. 

1867. — February  9th  and  10th,  thermome- 
ter 10°  below.  March  8,  river  clear  of  ice; 
Farragut  and  Gem  started  down.  Boats  run 
all  the  week.  March  13,  weather  turned  sud- 
denly cold,  6°  below,  ice  running;  and  March 
14,  river  closed.  March  30,  river  open;  water 
all  over  the  low  lands  and  within  three  feet 
of  the  surface  of  Main  street,  Beardstown. 
June  14,  Peoria  City's  last  trip  down;  low 
water  began.  July  20,  Illinois'  last  trip 
down.  August  8,  City  of  Pekin's  last  trip 
down.  Gem  collapsed  a  flue;  two  men 
killed.  September  18,  Lancaster's  last  trip 
down.  December  1,  Lakin's  last  trip  down. 
December  5,  Beardstown's  last  trip  up.  River 
closed. 

1868. — March  4th,  river  open  ;  Schuyler 
first  boat  up.  March  5,  City  of  Pekin  up. 
Miircli  9,  Beardstown  up.  March  10,  Illinois 
up.  July  7,  Low  water  began;  Schuyler's 
last  trip  down.  July  13,  Illinois'  last  trip 
down.  November  15,  river  in  good  stage; 
Illinois  began  regular  trips.  December  4, 
snow  six  inches;  thermometer  33°  above. 
Belle  Pike  burst  a  cylinder;  one  life  lost,  one 
wounded.  December  9,  4°  below;  river 
closed.  Illinois  last  boat  up.  December  12, 
Mercury  10°  below.  The  second  week  in  this 
month  was  the  coldest  week  ever  experienced 
in  this  State,  the  mercurj'  26'  below,  Fahren- 
heit. 

1869. — January  1,  weather  warm.     .January 


^>i^V 


/^ 


^yt^^J^ 


/P^t^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


65 


6,  river  opened;  Pekin  up.  April  2,  river 
moderately  high,  and  ferry-boat  ran  to  Fred- 
erick. River  continued  gradually  to  rise 
until  August  3,  when  it  reached  its  highest, 
being  on  State  street,  in  Beardstovsrn,  within 
one  foot  of  the  level  of  Main  street.  The 
rainiest  season  ever  known.  River  open  to 
navigation  until  January  7,  1870. 


1871. — November  11,  river  closed,  and  re- 
mained closed  all  winter. 

1873. —  January  38,  coldest  night  ever 
known  in  this  State.  Early  in  the  morning 
the  thermometer  stood  40°  degrees  below 
zero,  Fahrenheit.  Mercury  congealed.  Snow 
16  inches  deep. 


66 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AGRICULTURE  OF  CASS  COUNTY— FARMING  IN  THE  PRIMITIVE  TIMES— IMPROVED  FARM 

IMPLKMENTS— AGRICULTURAL    FAIRS    AND    ASSOCIATIONS— LISTS  OP   OFFICERS- 

CASS  COUNTY  PARK  ASSOCIATrON— ITS  ORGANIZATION,    ETC.— FINE  STOCK 

OF  THE  COUNTY— SHORT  HORN  HERDS,  ETC.— IHIi  RAILROADS,  ETC. 


CASS  County  has  the  reputation  of  being 
a  fine  agricultural  region,  and  indeed 
the  larger  portion  of  the  county  is  as  choice 
land  as  may  be  found  in  the  State.  Its 
claims  to  superiority  are  well  founded. 
While  some  counties  may  show  more  of  rich 
soil,  and  while  other  counties  may  be 
better  adapted  to  some  specialty,  yet 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  there  are  few  counties 
that  can  lay  claim  to  all  the  advantages  in 
climate,  soil,  water,  timber  and  general  health- 
fulness  that  are  possessed  in  a  great  degree 
by  this.  While  in  some  sections  a  certain 
specialty,  may,  with  propriety,  be  claimed  as 
peculiar,  we  believe  that  no  county  combines 
so  many  natural  advantages.  In  some  of  the 
more  northern  counties  we  find  perhaps  larger 
crops  of  corn,  and  in  some  of  the  more  south- 
ern, a  greater  amount  of  fruit;  but  these 
specialties,  even  in  the  localities  named,  are 
not  a  certain  crop.  The  farmer's  safest  course 
is  a  diversity  of  produots,  and  Cass  County 
furnishes  an  example  of  soil  and  climate 
which  makes  it  in  an  eminent  degree  fitted 
for  such  pursuits.  For  a  number  of  years, 
the  natural  advantages  of  this  region  were 
scarcely  appreciated,  as  the  farming  was  car- 
ried on  in  such  a  manner  as  to  obtain  results 
far  below  those  now  realized.  Better  farm 
machinery,  better  methods  of  planting  and 
cultivation,  and  the  adoption  of  crops  better 
suited  to  the  soil,  have  wrought  great  changes. 
In  an   especial  rnaiiiipr  is  this  true  in   regard 


to  methods  of  planting,  cultivating,   harvest- 
ing and  taking  care  of  products. 

The  way  our  fathers  performed  their  farm- 
ing operations,  is  so  little  known  to  the 
present  generation  who  depend  mostly  upon 
farm  machinery,  requiring  the  horses  to  do 
all  the  work  which  men,  women  and  children 
formerly  did,  that  a  description  of  the  olden 
way,  gathered  from  conversations  with  some 
of  the  oldest  farmers  still  living,  can  not  prove 
otherwise  than  interesting  to  some  of  our 
young  farmers  of  the  present  time.  Just 
banish  from  the  farm  all  such  modern  innova- 
tions as  reapers,  mowers,  corn-pliiriters,  hay- 
rakes,  threshing-machines,  sulky-plows,  riding 
corn-cultivators,  and  a  slight  conception  can 
be  formed  of  primitive  farming  facilities.  To 
jjrepare  the  ground  for  planting  corn  it  was 
plowed  over  with  a  wooden-mold  board  plow, 
which  had  to  be  cleaned  every  few  rods  with 
a  paddle  which  hung  to  one  of  the  handles  ;  it 
was  then  scratched  over  with  a  wooden-toothed 
harrow,  after  which  it  was  "laid-ofF"  both 
ways  with  the  one-horse  shovel-plow.  It 
was  then  ready  for  planting.  This  was  done 
by  the  boys,  the  women,  children  and  men  ; 
the  smallest  of  the  children  dropping  the 
grains  of  corn  in  the  "  crosses,"  where  it  was 
covered  with  hoes  by  the  men  and  larger 
boys  and  women.  After  the  planting,  and 
when  the  corn  had  come  up,  then  came  the 
hoeing,  now  superseded  by  the  improved 
cultivators.     Plowing  corn  with    the  single- 


HISTORi'  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


shovel-plow,  was  common  until  a  few  years 
ago,  but  it  has  had  to  take  its  place  with  the 
old  spinning-wheel  and  loom,  and  they  arc 
now  counted^as  relics  of  a  past  age.  Cutting 
wheat,  rye,  oats  and  grass  was  formerly  a 
laborious  process.  Even  within  the  recollec- 
tion of  comparatively  young  men  of  the 
county,  the  scythe  and  cradle  were  con- 
sidered as  improved  implements  of  husband- 
ry ;  but  the  reaper  and  mower  now  in  use 
not  only  do  a  much  better  job  but  transfers 
the  hardest  of  the  labor  to  the  horses. 

The  old  methods  in  vogue  three  thousand 
years  ago,  treading  out  wheat  with  oxen  or 
knocking  it  out  with  flails,  were  scarcely  im- 
proved upon  until  within  a  comparatively 
recent  date.  In  the  early  history  of  this 
county  these  ancient  methods  prevailed.  By- 
and-by,  came  the  old  thresher — the  ground- 
hog, as  it  was  called — that  merely  knocked 
the  grains  from  the  chaff,  leaving  the  same  to 
be  separated  by  some  other  process.  One 
of  these  marvelous  old  machines  has  not 
been  seen  in  Cass  County  for  many  a  year  ;  but 
in  its  place  we  now  have  the  steam  thresher, 
which  not  only  separates  the  grain  from  the 
chail  and  straw,  ready  for  the  mill,  but  sacks 
and  counts  the  number  of  bushels,  and  the 
next  improvement  will  doubtless  be  to  grind  it 
and  bake  it  into  bread. 

It  is  difficult  to  comprehend  how,  with  corn 
at  from  six  to  ten  cents  per  bushel,  oats  but 
little  more,  wheat  at  from  thirty  to  fifty,  and 
other  products  in  proportion,  with  the  market 
at  Alton,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  a  farmer 
succeeded  in  obtaining  enough  for  his  products 
to  pay  for  saving  them.  It  is  not  so  difficult 
to  understand  why  so  much  of  the  county  lay 
for  so  many  years  without  an  occupant.  Of 
course,  the  farmers  in  those  days  did  not  ride 
in  carriages,  pay  heavy  taxes,  wear  fine 
clothes  or  indulge  in  many  luxuries  ;  but  they 
rode  to  meeting  on  horsel.ack  or  in  the  farm- 
wasron,  wearing  their  every-day  clothes  done 


up  clean  for  Sunday,  and  paid  the  preacher 
with  a  bag  of  corn  or  potatoes,  or  not  at  all, 
as  they  felt  able.  Yet,  to  say  that  they  did 
not  live  comfortably  and  independently,  would 
be  a  great  mistake.  The  rifle  supplied,  from 
the  timber,  venslon  and  other  game,  an  1  the 
actual  needs  of  life  were  all  satisfied,  though 
it  would  seem  a  great  hardship  to  go  back  to 
what  some  are  pleased  to  call  the  "  good  old 
times." 

Cass  County  has  kept  up  with  the  improve- 
ments, not  only  in  farm  machinery,  but  in  the 
new  methods  of  farming,  and  no  section  of 
the  State,  perhaps,  can  boast  of  a  finer  state 
of  agriculture  than  this  county.  Agricultural 
fairs  and  associations  have  been  organized 
for  the  general  improvement  of  stock,  farm 
machinery  and  agriculture. 

The  Cass  County  Agricultural  Society,  was 
organized  in  the  court  house,  at  Beardstown, 
January  5,  1856.  A  preliminary  meeting  had 
been  held  previously,  at  which  a  committee  on 
constitution  and  by-laws  had  been  appointed. 
The  committee  made  a  report  at  this  meeting 
which  was  accepted,  and  at  a  meeting  held  in 
Virginia,  June  15,  the  Constitution,  as  report- 
ed by  the  committee,  was  adopted.  Ten  acres 
of  ground  were  purchased  of  Robert  Hall,  ad- 
joining the  town  of  Virginia,  at  a  cost  of 
S400,  for  Fair  Grounds.  A  Fair  Ground 
Association  was  formed,  which  leased  to  the 
Cass  County  Agricultural  Society,  the  grounds. 
The  Fair  Ground  Association  was  incorporat- 
ed by  special  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved 
February  18,  1857.  The  Association  and 
the  Agricultural  Society  were  composed 
mostly  of  the  same  individuals  (but  were  two 
distinct  corporations),  and  frequently  the  same 
set  of  officers  were  elected  in  both. 

The  first  officers  of  the  Agricultural  Society 
elected,  were  as  follows  :  Francis  Arenz,  Pres- 
ident; Ezra  J.  Dutch,  Treasurer;  John  W. 
Sweeney,  Secretary;  and  John  W.  Seaman, 
James  Hickey,  Milton  Stribling,  John  Prunty, 


68 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  Ebenezer  Fish,  Directors.  At  the  next 
meeting,  March  6,  1858,  the  election  resulted 
as  follows:  William  Stevenson,  President; 
Henry  S.  Sava;re,  Secretary;  Z.  W.  Gatton, 
Treasurer;  and  William  Stevenson,  David 
Epler,  Thomas  Plasters,  John  W.  Seaman,  Z. 
W.  Gatton,  E.  W.  Turner,  and  John  Pnuity, 
Directors.  March  5,  1859,  the  old  olEcers 
were  re-elected,  and  William  Stevenson,  J. 
M.  Hill,  William  Petefish,  John  Prunty,  I.  M. 
Stribling,  Z.  W.  Gatton,  and  John  W.  Seaman, 
Directors.  At  tiio  election  March  3,  1860,  J. 
M.  Hill  was  elected  President;  John  W.  Sea- 
man, Vice-President;  Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treas- 
urer; H.  S.  Savage,  Secretary;  and  J.  M.  Hill, 
N.  Seaman,  D.  J.  Cole,  J.  M.  Epler,  A.  G. 
Angier,  John  Prunty  and  Z.  W.  Gatton,  Di- 
rectors. No  officers  were  elected  in  18G1;  but 
on  the  3d  day  of  March,  the  following  Di- 
rectors werj  elected:  John  Prunty,  William 
Stevenson,  E.  W.  Turner,  J.  M.  Hill,  D.  J. 
Cole,  I.  M.  Stribling  and  H.  H.  Hall.  March 
1, 1862,  .lolni  M.  Epler  was  elected  President; 
1.  M.  Stribling,  Vice-President;  Z.  W.  Gat- 
ton, Treasurer  ;  H.S.  Savage,  Sjoretarv  ;  and 
John  M.  Epler,  I.  M.  Stribling,  H.  S.  Savage, 
Z.  W.  Gatton,  H.  H.  Hall  and  A.  G.  Angier, 
Directors.  March  7,  18lj:i,  Isaac  M.  Stribling 
was  elected  Piesident  ;  D.  .1.  Cole,  Vice- 
President  ;  Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treasurer  ;  H.  H. 
Hall,  Secretary;  and  I.  M.  Stribling,  D.  J.  Cole, 
H.  H.  Hall,  Z.  W.  Gatton,  J.  M.  Epler,  S.  H. 
Petefish,  A.  G.  Angier  and  John  Prunty,  Direc- 
tors. The  next  fair  was  to  be  held  on  the  1st 
and  2d  days  of  the  following  September. 

At  the  election  held  March  5,  1864,  I).  J. 
Cole  was  elected  President  ;  Z.  W.  Gatton, 
Treasurer  ;  H.  H.  Hall,  Secretary  ;  and  Wm. 
Petefish,  A.  G.  Angier,  John  Prunty,  John 
W.  Seaman,  S.  H.  Petefish  and  H.  S.  Savage, 
Directors. 

April  1,  1865,  John  Prunty  was  elected 
President  ;  I.  M.  Stribling  Vice-President ; 
Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treisurer  ;  '  H.  II.  Hall,  Secre- 


tary; and  John  Prunty,  I.  M.  Stribling,  Z.  W. 
Gatton,  William  Stevenson,  John  W.  Seaman, 
J.  Dunnaway,  James  L.  Beggs  and  Samuel 
Petefish,  Directors. 

March  2,  1866,  John  Prunty  was  re-elected 
President ;  Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treasurer  ;  Rufus 
Rabourn,  Secretary  ;  and  John  Prunty,  I.  M. 
Stribling,  J.  H.  Bates,  A.  G.  Angier,  J.  Dun- 
naway, H.  H.  Hall  and  W.  Petefish,  Directors. 
An  order  was  passed  to  sell  the  grounds,  but 
there  is  no  further  record  in  regard  to  such 
sale. 

March  2,  1877,  J.  W.  Seaman  was  elected 
President ;  A.  G.  Angier,  Vice-President ;  R. 
W.  Rabourn,  Secretary;  Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treas- 
urer; and  I.  M.  Stribling,  William  Stevenson, 
J.  H.  Bates,  J.  A.  Petefish  and  H.  H.  Hall, 
Directors.  There  is  no  record  of  an  election 
of  officers  in  1868. 

March  6,  1869,  J.  W.  Seaman  was  elected 
President;  A.  G.  Angier,  Vice-President ;  R. 
W.  Rabourn,  Secretary  ;  E.  T.  Oliver,  Treas- 
unn- ;  and  Z.W.  Gatton,  I.  M.  Stribling,  S.H. 
Petefish,  Robert  Hall  and  D.  J.  Cole,  Direc- 
tors. 

March  5,  1870,  old  officers  re-elected,  and 
Joseph  Black,  John  Prunty,  J.  A.  Petefish, 
William  Stevenson  and  Robert  Hall,  Direc- 
tors. 

March  4,  1871,  old  officers  re-elected,  and 
John  Prunty,  William  Stevenson,  I.  M.  Strib- 
ling, Robert  Hall,  and  J.  A.  Petefish,  directors. 

March  3,  1872,  I.  M.  Stribling  was  elected 
President;  J.  A.  Petefish,  Vice-president;  E. 
T.  Oliver,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  R.ibourn,  Sec- 
retary, and  John  Prunty,  A.  G.  Angier,  Rob- 
ert Stevenson,  Robert  Hall,  and  Williaia 
Stevenson,  Directors. 

March  1,  1873,  Robert  Stevenson  was  elect- 
ed President;  J.  M.  Epler,  Vice-president; 
Z.  W.  Gatton,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  Rabourn, 
Secretary;  and  Robert  Hall,  .John  Prunty,  I. 
M.  Stribling,  A.  G.  Angier,  and  J.  W.  Sea- 
man, Directors. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


fl9 


March  7,  1874,  J.  M.  Epler  was  elected 
President;  P.  A.  Biiker,  Vice-president;  R.  W. 
Rabourn,  Secretary;  J.  A.  Epler,  Treasurer; 
and  T.  J.  Crum,  Robert  Hall,  T.  J.  Stribling, 
and  Robert  Stevenson,  Directors.  The  time 
set  for  the  next  fair  was  the  1st,  2d,  3d  and 
4th  of  September  following. 

March  G,  1873,  J.  M.  Epler  was  elected 
President;  T.  J.  Crum,  Vice-president;  J.  A. 
Epler,  Treasurer,  R.  W.  Rabourn,  Secretary; 
and  .John  Pruiity,  T.  J.  Stribling,  Robert 
Hall,  Morrison  Graves,  and  Robert  Stevenson, 
Directors. 

March  4,  1876,  J.  W.  Seaman  was  elected 
President;  T.  J.  Crura,  Vice-president;  Mor- 
rison Graves,  Treasurer;  K.  W.  Rabouru, 
Secretary,  and  the  old  directory  was  re- 
elected. 

March  3, 1877,  Morrison  Graves  was  elected 
President;  Robert  Hall,  Vice-president;  R. 
W.  Rabourn,  Secretary;  S.  H.  Petefish, 
Treasurer,  and  John  Prunty,  J.  B.  Stevenson, 
Oswell  Skiles,  Robert  Hall,  C.  M.  Savage,  T. 
.1.  Stribling,  and  M.  Graves,  Directors. 

March  2,  1878,  Morrison  Graves  was  elect- 
ed President;  T.  J.  Crum,  Vice-president; 
R.  W.  Rabourn,  Secretary;  S.  H.  Petefish, 
Treasurer,  and  M.  Graves,  O.  Skiles,  John 
Prunty,  T.  J.  Crum,  C.  E.  Lippincott,  Robert 
Stevenson,  and  W.  S.  Vance,  Directors. 

March  1,  1879,  J.  M.  Epler  was  elected 
President;  P.  A.  Buraker,  Vice-president; 
O.  Skiles,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  Rabourn,  Secre- 
tary, and  J.  M.  Epler,  C.  W.  Savage,  Henry 
Campbell,  P.  A.  Buraker,  I.  M.  Stribling,  W. 
H.  Thompson,  and  Robert  Hall,  Directors. 

March  13,  1880,  J.  M.  Epler  was  elected 
President;  O.  Skiles,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  Ra- 
bourn, Secretary,  and  G.  A.  Beard,  T.  J. 
Striblng,  C.  W.  Savage,  A.  G.  Eplar,  Robert 
Hall,  Henry  Campbell,  and  John  W.  McCul- 
loun-h,  Directors.  The  time  for  holding  the 
next  fair  was  set  for  the  17th,  18th,  19th  and 
20th  of  August  following. 


March  3,  1881,  Oswell  Skiles  was  elected 
President;  W.  C.  Barkley,  Vice-president; 
George  Conover,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  Rabourn, 
Secretary,  and  Oswell  Skiles,  W.  S.  Vance,  T. 
J.  Stribling,  W.  C.  Barkley,  G.  W.  Rawlings, 
George  Conover,  and  Morrison  Graves,  Direct- 
ors. 

The  officers  for  the  present  year  (1882)  are 
as  follows:  J.  M.  Epler,  President;  John  A. 
Jones,  Vice-president;  G.  L.  Warlow,  Secre- 
tary; George  Conover,  Treasurer,  and  J.  M. 
Epler,  J.  A.  Jones,  M.  Graves,  R.  W.  Ra- 
bourn, W.  S.  Vance,  J.  B.  Stevenson,  and  F. 

E.  Downing,  Directors.  The  next  fair  will 
be  held  September  12,  13,  14  and  15,  follow- 
ing. The  superintendents  of  departments, at 
the  next  meeting,  are  as  follows:  Fine  Art 
Hall — F.  E.  Downing,    and    Assistant — Mrs. 

F.  E.  Downing;  Fruit  and  Vegetables — Tho- 
mas Dunnaway;  Preserves,  Jellies,  etc. — C. 
W.  Black  and  Alice  Dwclle;  Agricultural 
Hall— J.  F.  Black;  Poultry— J.  N.  Gridley; 
Sheep  and  Swine — Robert  Stevenson;  Horses 
and  Mules — A.  G.  Epler;  Cattle — Watson 
Sinclair.  From  preparations  already  being 
made  the  coming  meeting  will  be  an  interest- 
ing one. 

The  Cass  County  Park  Association  was  or- 
ganized a  few  years  ago.  This  association 
purchased  and  now  owns  the  grounds,  and 
leases  them  out  for  fairs,  races,  and  for  other 
purposes,  as  may  seem  legitimate  to  the 
Board  of  Directors. 

The  fine  stock  interest  is  taking  high  rank 
in  Cass  County,  and  has  grown  to  large  pro- 
portions, particularly  that  of  fine  cattle. 
The  writer  has  seen  all  the  fine  herds  of  Short- 
horn cattle  in  the  famous  blue  grass  region 
of  Kentucky,  and  in  his  capacity  as  historian 
has  visited  many  of  the  stock  farms  of  that 
world-renowned  section,  but  he  has  seen  some 
cattle  in  this  county  that  are  unsurpassed  by 
Kentucky,  or  any  other  state.  The  herd,  for 
instance,  of  William  Stevenson  is,    probably. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


without  a  superior  in  quality  in  any  country. 
His  Sliort-horn  bull,  Duke,  was  purchased  of 
Hutchcraft,  one  of  the  most  extensive  herd- 
ers of  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  for  $1,000, 
when  a  yearling,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  ani- 
mals of  his  kind,  while  Mattie  Belle,  2d, 
calved  June  30,  1S77,  is  the  finest  cow  we 
have  seen  in  the  State.  But  to  do  justice  to 
Mr.  Stevenson's  herd  would  be  to  particular- 
ize every  one.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  rear- 
ing Short-horns,  and  like  the  larger  breeders 
of  Kentucky,  has  his  annual  sales  of  all  those 
aside  from  his  regular  breeders. 

C.  E.  Lippincott  took  an  active  interest  a 
few  years  ago,  in  breeding  Short-horns,  but 
did  not  remain  long  in  the  business.  Mr.  J. 
M.  Epler,  also,  has  a  small  herd  of  very  fine 
animals,  and  devotes  considerable  attention 
to  breeding;  also,  Watson  Sinclair,  doing 
something  in  the  same  line,  and  has  several 
fine  animals.  The  time,  doubtless,  is 
near  at  hand,  when  Cass  County  will  become 
famous  as  a  fine  stock  region,  and  noted  for 
the  rearing  of  Short- horn  cattle.  The  start 
made  has  proven  its  adaptability  to  the  in- 
dustry, and  shown  the  value  of  the  business. 

A  writer  on  Kentucky  Short-horns  has  the 
following  on  the  genuine  breed:  "Short- 
horns of  a  true  type  and  good  shape,  that  is 
to  say,  level  backed,  wide  crops,  wide  hips, 
swelling  sides,  fine  bone,  fine  tail,  neat  blood- 
like appearance,  straight  lines  across  the  hips, 
straight  from  the  point  of  the  hock  to  point  of 
hip  near  the  tail,  straight  along  the  belly 
from  the  brisket  to  the  end  of  the  flank, 
smooth  shoulders,  not  sinking  at  the  girt,  soft 
elastic  skin,  good  handlers,  placid,  calm  eye, 
short  in  the  legs,  short  tapering  horns,  waxy 
horns  well  set  on,  quiet  disposition,  good 
milkers,  clean,  clear  muzzle,  solid  colors, 
either  red  or  roan,  these  have  long  been 
sought  after,  bred  for  and  purchased  when 
attainable,  and  breeders  with  pride  in  their 
stock  have  endeavored  to  produce  them  from 


the  earliest  known  period  in  Short-horn  his- 
tory, ancl  it  is  not  surprising  that  breeders 
have  in  the  main  owned  many  that  were 
never  defeated  in  the  show  ring.  And  as 
such  stock  has  been  the  result  of  much  trou- 
ble and  experiment,  so  it  has  and  ever  will 
deservedly  command  high  prices.  Requiring 
several  generations  of  judicious  crossing, 
weeding  out  defects,  meting  out  to  the 
breeders  many  blanks  with  the  prizes,  it  is  a 
fascinating  pursuit,  and  is  increasing  daily 
the  number  of  its  votaries." 

It  is  worth  while  to  notice,  in  passing,  the 
change  in  the  colors  of  Short-horns.  Most 
every  one,  who  has  paid  attention  to  the  mat- 
ter, can  remember  that  there  was  a  time  with- 
in their  memory  that  Short-horn  cattle  were 
uniformly  white  and  roan,  with  here  and  there 
a  red.  Take,  for  example,  one  of  the  leading 
herds  of  the  country  in  1851,  1853  and  1853, 
of  fifteen  head  recorded  in  Volume  H,  A.  H. 
B.  Eight  were  roans  and  seven  whites.  The 
same  breeder  would  not  allow  a  white  animal 
to  be  used  on  his  herd  for  a  homis  of  $3,000  a 
year.  Who  knows  but  the  stylo  and  fashion 
may  change  back  again  into  its  former  chan- 
nel? It  is  well  to  observe  that  the  scarcer 
and  more  rare  Short- horns  of  peculiar  quali- 
ties become,  the  higher  prices  they  are  held 
at  in  some  quarters.  While  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  with  satisfaction  that  we  observe 
many  new  beginners  whose  names  appear  at 
the  annual  sales,  from  New  York  to  Califor- 
nia, and  from  Minnesota  to  Texas,  indicating 
that  the  people,  as  a  mass,  are  beginning  to 
appreciate  the  value  of  an  infusion  of  thorough- 
bred blood  into  scrub  herds,  and  to  at  last 
acknowledge  that  a  two-year  old  thorough 
bred,  or  even  high  grade,  is  equal  to  a  three- 
year-old  of  common,  or  mongrel  stock. 

There  is  an  increasing  attention  yearly  tc 
the  improving  of  other  stock  in  Cass  County, 
as  well  as  to  cattle.  Many  thoroughbred 
horses  from  Kentucky  are  being  introduced. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


71 


among  which  we  have  noticed  some  members 
of  the  Mambrino  family,  one  of  the  finest 
reared  in  Kentucky.  The  original  Mambrino 
Patchen,  sold  for  625,000,  and  Mambriuo 
King,  sold  at  Lexington,  Ky.,  a  few  weeks 
ago,  for  815,000.  Fine  sheep  and  hogs,  also, 
are  being  greatly  improved,  and  many  of  the 
farmers  are  devoting  special  attention  to  rear- 
ing the  best  breeds  of  these  animals.  It  is 
then,  not  saying  too  much,  to  predict  for  Cass 
County  a  brilliant  future  as  a  stock-raising 
region.  The  start  is  made,  and  perseverance 
will  accomplish  the  rest. 

The  railroads  of  the  County  will  be  written 
up  in  other  chapters  of  this  volume.     Rail- 


roads are  the  great  features  that  make  a 
country  powerful  and  add  to  its  material 
wealth  and  prosperity.  The  railroads  inter- 
secting Cass  County,  are  the  Peoria,  Pekin 
and  Jacksonville;  the  Springfield  division  of 
Oliio  and  Mississippi;  the  St.  Louis  division 
of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy;  and 
the  Western  division  of  the  Chicago  and 
Alton.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  the  County  is 
well  supplied  with  these  useful  internal  im- 
provements. 

The  press  of  the  county,  and  the  war  his- 
tory also,  will  be  found  in  other  and  appro- 
priate chapters,  together  with  other  subjects 
of  local  and  general  interest. 


72 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  Yn. 

VIRGINIA  PRECINCT— DESCRIPTION,  BOUNDARIES  AND  TOPOGRAPHY— WESTERN  PIONEER 
LIFE— SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  PRECINCT  BY  WHITE  PEOPLE— CHARACTER  OF  THE 
PIONEERS— THEIR  TRIALS,   TRQUBLES  AND  HARDSHIPS— EARLY  IMPROVE- 
MENTS   AND    INDUSTRIES— ROADS,    BRIDGES,    ETC.— SCHOOLS— THE 
FIRST   SCHOOL    HOUSES— EARLY  TEACHERS— PRESENT  EDU- 
CATIONAL FACILITIES— CHURCHES  AND  PREACHERS- 
OLD    SHILOH   CHURCH— MISCELLANEOUS,  ETC. 


IT  was  a  beautiful  sentiment  of  Goethe 
when  he  compared  our  little  round  of  being 
to  a  summer  watering  place:  "  When  we  first 
arrive,  we  form  friendships  with  those  who 
have  already  spent  some  time  there,  and  must 
soon  be  gone.  Their  loss  is  painful,  but  we 
content  ourselves  with  the  second  generation 
of  visitors,  with  whom  we  spend  some  time, 
and  daily  become  more  intimate;  but  these 
also  depart,  and  we  are  left  alone  with  a  third 
set,  who  arrive  just  as  we  are  prepared  for  our 
departure."  This  is  not  inapplicable  to  the 
settlement  of  this  section  of  the  country. 
It  is  a  sad  realization  of  the  inscrutable  de- 
cree that,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt 
thou  return,"  when  we  come  to  collect  the 
history  of  a  county  or  people.  Here,  in  Vir- 
ginia Precinct,  we  look  around  us  for  the 
pioneers,  and  find  most  of  them  sleeping  in 
the  quiet  graveyard.  The  first  generation  of 
visitors  to  the  "summer  watering-place"  are 
mostly  gone,  and  the  second  and  third,  and 
even  the  fourth  generations  are  crowding  on 
to  fill  their  places.  Those  of  the  "  first  set  " 
who  still  linger,  are  bent  with  age,  and  a  few 
more  rolling  years  will  take  them  from  our 
sight  for  ever.  Wonderful  are  the  chang-es 
wrought  since  they  first  beheld  this  beautiful 
land,  once  the  home  of  the  lordly  savage,  and 
the  hunting  ground  of  his  kindred.  The 
pioneers,  who  braved  the  dangers  of  "  flood 
and  field,"  to  open  these  broad  and  product- 


ive plains  and  valleys,  have  melted  away  like 
mists  before  the  morning  sun,  and  are  now 
gathered  to  the  land  of  dreams.  From  the 
few  still  left,  we  have  gleaned  a  few  facts 
pertaining  to  the  early  settlement  of  this 
section,  and  to  pioneer  life,  which  form  the 
subject-matter  of  this  chapter. 

Virginia  Precinct  is  rather  large,  and  con- 
tains portions  of  townships  17  and  18,  in 
ranges  9  and  10,  west  of  the  3d  principal  me- 
ridian. It  is  generally  level  or  undulating, 
resembling  somewhat  the  swell  of  the  ocean 
after  a  storm,  and  originally  comprised  both 
timber  land  and  prairie.  On  the  north  it  is 
bounded  by  Husted  Precinct,  or  Hickory,  as 
now  called,  and  Chandlerville  Precinct,  on 
the  east  by  Oregon  and  Princeton  Precincts,  on 
the  South  by  Princeton  Precinct  and  Morgan 
County,  and  on  the  west  by  Monroe  Precinct. 
It  is  drained  and  watered  by  Clear  Creek, 
Prairie  Creek,  Little  Indian,  Job's,  Little 
Panther  and  Lost  Creeks,  all  tributaries  of  the 
Illinois  River.  The  Peoria,  Pekin  and  Jack- 
sonville railroad  (now  a  part  of  the  Wabash 
system),  and  the  Springfield  division  of  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  railroad,  intersect  it, 
crossing  at  the  City  of  Virginia,  the  capital 
of  the  County,  and  afford  ample  accommoda- 
tions in  shipping  and  transportation. 

The  settlement  of  Virginia  Precinct  dates 
back  to  the  year  1821,  when  the  first  whites 
came   in   and  commenced  the    improvement 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


73 


of  the  lands.  Pioneer  life,  in  all  time,  has 
been  characterized  by  incidents  peculiar  either 
to  the  locality  or  the  make-up  of  the  pioneers 
themselves.  Western  pioneer  life  has  been 
subjected  to  conditions  common  to  the  experi- 
ence of  all  early  settlers.  The  primary  ele- 
ments in  the  composition  of  those  who  have 
taken  their  lives  in  their  own  hands  and  battled 
successfully  with  the  privations  and  hardships 
incident  to  settlements  in  the  wilderness,  with- 
out companions,  save  their  "  household  gods," 
away  from  the  echoes  of  civilization,  depend- 
ing for  subsistence  upon  their  own  good 
right  arms,  were  will-power,  physical  vigor 
and  energy.  Thus  endowed,  the  brave  pioneer 
boldly  cuts  loose  from  the  moorings  of  civili- 
zation, turns  his  face  toward  the  wild,  un- 
known West,  and  after  days  and  weeks,  per- 
haps months,  of  weary  journeying  over 
trackless  prairies,  tangled  woodland,  rocky 
steeps  and  through  rushing  torrents,  at  last 
determines  the  spot  where  his  future  home 
shall  be,  at  once  makes  a  start  by  erecting  a 
little  cabin,  breaking  a  small  patch  of  ground 
and  planting  a  little  corn.  Soon  he  is  joined 
by  others,  and  the  feeble  settlement  becomes 
the  foundation  of  one  of  those  prosperous 
communities  which  are  to-day  the  pride  and 
boast  of  our  western  country.  But  we  are 
digressing  from  the  more  specific  part  of 
our  subject. 

Archibald  Job,  Henry  Hopkins  and  Thos. 
Redmon,  were  early  settlers  in  Virginia  Pre- 
cinct. Mr.  Job  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and 
settled  in  what  he  called  Sylvan  Grove,  now 
the  present  site  of  Virginia,  in  Cass  County, 
in  1820.  From  an  article,  in  the  Jacksonville 
Journal,  written  by  William  Thomas  in  1874, 
we  extract  most  of  our  information  concern- 
ing Mr.  Job.  hi  183  2  he  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  from  the  district,  composed  of  the 
county  of  Greene,  and  the  territory  afterward 
included  in  Morgan  County,  and  again  in 
182i,  fromthe  counties  of  Morgan  and  Greene. 


In  182()  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  from 
the  district  composed  of  the  counties  of  Mor- 
gan, Pike,  Adams,  Schuyler,  Fulton  and 
Peoria.  During  this  service  of  eight  years, 
his  constituents  never  had  cause  to  regret  his 
election,  nor  to  complain  of  his  want  of 
devotion  to  their  interests.  He  maintained 
the  character  of  an  honest,  fearless,  intelligent 
and  industrious  representative.  In  1830,  he 
was  again  a  candidate  for  the  Senate,  but  was 
defeated,  not  because  of  any  complaint  of  his 
previous  action,  or  of  any  want  of  confidence  in 
his  ability  and  integrity,  but  because  the  Whig 
party,  with  which  he  was  identified,  was  in 
the  minority.  Upon  the  passage  of  tiie  law 
providing  for  the  building  of  the  State  House 
at  Springfield,  because  of  his  known  integrity 
and  intelligence,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
State  house  commissioners.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  about  ninety  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Job,  it  is  said,  never  saw  the  face  of 
a  white  woman  for  six  months  after  landing 
in  this  county.  She  used  to  say  that  she  had 
very  good  neighbors  among  the  Indians,  who 
were  then  numerous  in  this  section.  Their 
nearest  neighbors  lived  fifteen  miles  distant, 
and  St.  Louis  was  their  post  office.  Mr.  Clark 
came  in  1827  and  settled  at  North  Grove,  three 
miles  west  of  the  present  town  of  Virginia. 
In  1836  he  moved  to  Iowa,  but  in  18  0  re- 
turned to  Cass  County,  and  settled  again  in 
the  neighborhood.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Bluff  Springs,  where  he  died  in  1852. 

Hopkins  was  a  native  of  Delaware,  and  emi- 
grated first  to  Woodford  County,  Kentucky, 
then  to  Clarke  County,  Indiana.  From  there 
he  removed  to  Morgan  County,  Illinois,  in 
1825,  and  located  in  Sugar  Grove  the  next 
year,  and  which  was  in  Virginia  Precinct  un- 
til a  few  years  ago,  when  Philadelphia  Pre- 
cinct was  formed.  He  lived  there  until  in 
1875,  then  removed  into  Virginia,  and  died 
in  1879,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He 
was  married  in   1817,  and  his  widow  still  sur- 


74 


HISTORY   OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


vives  him  at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  and  is 
the  mother  of  twelve  children,  ten  of  whom 
are  now  living. 

About  the  year  1825-26,  William  Holmes 
came  to  the  precinct,  and  was  followed  the 
next  year  by  Thomas  Redmon,  Benjamin 
Stribling,  and  a  man  named  Street.  Holmes 
was  from  New  York,  and  made  his  home  with 
Hopkins  until  his  marriage,  in  1828-29.  They 
improved  their  land  in  common,  and  for 
several  years  farmed  in  partnership.  He  was 
a  man  of  intelligence,  of  considerable  public 
spirit,  and  a  graduate  of  an  Eastern  college  ; 
probably  the  first  college  graduate  who  ever 
settled  in  Cass  County.  He  commenced  his 
public  career' as  a  school  teacher  in  his  own  im- 
mediate neighborhood.  He  served  as  county 
surveyor,  and  as  the  first  representative  in  the 
legislature  from  Cass  County,  after  its  forma- 
tion in  1837.  Redmon  settled  about  half  a 
mile  south  of  Hopkins',  and  was  from  Logan 
County,  Kentucky.  Although  a  man  of  quite 
ordinary  intellect,  he  was  very  pious,  upright, 
a  kind  of  exhorter  or  local  preacher  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  molding  the  society  of  his  day 
and  generation.  He  died  about  1810,  and  is 
without  relatives  or  descendants  now  in  this  re- 
gion. Stribling  was  also  from  Logan  County, 
Kentucky,  and  first  located  near  the  present 
village  of  Liter,  now  in  Morgan  County,  but 
in  1829  bought  out  Street,  who  had  settled 
and  improved  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  M. 
Stribling.  After  selling  out  to  Stribling, 
Street  moved  about  a  mile  and  a  half  west, 
and  improved  another  place,  upon  which  was 
built  one  of  the  primitive  grist  mills  of  Cass 
County.  He  left  about  1834,  and  went  to 
Iowa,  where  he  was  lost  sight  of  long  since. 
None  of  his  descendants  now  live  in  the 
county. 

Among  other  pioneers  of  this  precinct,  may 
be  mentioned  Anthony  Thomas,  Col.  A.  S. 
West,   Joshua   P.    Crow,   Thomas  S.    Berry, 


Benjamin  Cauby,  Berry  Freeman,  a  man 
named  Paschall,  and  others  whose  names  are 
now  forgotten.  Anthony  Thomas  came  about 
1827-28  and  located  on  what  is  now  known 
as  the  Frotter  farm,  lying  on  the  south  side  of 
Sugar  Grove.  He  sold  out  in  1840  and  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  the  Rock  River 
Country.  Sugar  Grove  and  Sylvan  Grove, 
which  have  been  several  times  referred  to, 
were  two  bodies  of  timber,  situated  about  three 
or  four  miles  southeast  of  the  present  city  of 
Virginia. 

Col.  West  came  in  about  1828,  and  im- 
proved the  farm  now  owned  by  Cain  Owens, 
lying  north  of  the  city,  and  partly  inside  of 
the  corporate  limits.  He  was  a  very  enter- 
prising and  active  business  man,  and  was  the 
second  representative  in  the  legislature,  from- 
Cass  County,  succeeding  Mr.  Holmes  in  that 
august  body.  He  was  for  a  time  a  merchant 
in  the  town  of  Virginia,  and  traded  extensive- 
ly in  cattle  and  pork,  a  business  he  com- 
menced in  1839.  Like  many  other  good 
business  men,  he  failed  in  the  financial  crash 
of  1840-42.  Crow  first  settled  where  William 
Campbell  now  lives,  in  1828-39,  to  whom  he 
sold  out,  and  afterwards  moved  to  Missouri. 
He  served  for  a  number  of  years  as  a  justice 
of  the  peace.  In  1843,  he  was  the  Demo- 
cratic candidate  against  John  W.  Pratt,  for 
the  State  Legislature,  but  was  defeated  by  27 
votes. 

Thomas  S.  Berry  emigrated  to  Cass  County, 
from  near  Fredericksburg,  Virginia,  a  distance 
of  about  nine  hundred  miles.  He  came 
through  on  horseback,  with  his  entire  posses- 
sions in  apair  of  saddle-bags,  and  reached  Ben- 
jamin Stribling's  in  November,  1829,  where 
he  spent  the  winter.  He  assisted  Stribling 
in  sjatherinof  corn  in  the  field,*  and  brinffingf  it 
in  to  feed  stock,  and  the  remainder  of  his 
time  he  spent  in  hunting.  He  taught  school 
about  two  years,  worked  on  a  farm  by  the 
month,  and  in  August,  1833,  assisted  his  father, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


73 


William  S.  Berry,  to  remove  his  family  to 
Cass  County.  In  1834:,  he  bought  a  farm  in 
Virginia  Precinct,  on  which  he  resided  until 
his  death  in  1847.  James  Berry  came  to  Cass 
County  in  1830,  from  Orange  County,  Virgin- 
ia. He  taught  school  and  worked  on  a  farm 
until  1833,  when  he  purchased  land  of  L.  T. 
Bryant;  he  died  in  1849.  Benjamin  Cauby 
came  to  Virginia  Precinct  in  1830,  and  was 
a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  preacher.  He 
organized,  or  rather  reorganized  old  Shiloh 
Church;  was  a  zealous  Christian  and  an  able 
minister.  He  died  in  1845,  in  the  prime  of 
life.  Freeman  and  Paschall  were  brothers-in- 
law,  and  settled  a  little  northeast  of  town, 
about  1830.  They  were  both  thrifty  and  in- 
dustrious men,  and  bore  an  active  part  in 
subduing  the  country,  and  opening  it  up  to 
civilization.  The  only  son  of  Freeman  vvas 
a  lieutenant  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred 
and  Fourteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  in  the  late 
civil  war,  and  was  captured  at  Guntown,  Miss- 
issippi. He  was  put  on  a  train  with  other 
captured  oflBcers,  and  started  south  to  prison, 
but  jumped  from  the  train  while  running  at 
the  rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  made 
his  escape  from  the  guards.  After  spending 
a  week  in  wandering  through  the  country,  he 
finally  found  his  way  to  a  camp  of  Union 
soldiers,  and  was  sent  at  once  to  his  regiment, 
with  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  the 
war. 

Charles  Oliver,  Thomas  Gatton,  John  Epler 
and  .Jacob  Petefish,  were  also  early  settlers  of 
Virginia  Precinct;  but  first  located  on  Little 
Indian,  in  what  is  now  Princeton  Precinct, 
where  they  will  be  further  noticed.  Epler 
came  from  Pennsylvania,  and  has  a  good  manj' 
descendants  still  in  the  county.  Gatton  came 
from  Maryland,  and  was  one  of  the  early 
merchants  of  the  county.  Oliver  came  to 
Virginia  in  1835,  and  was  for  a  time  a  clerk 
for  Dr.  Hall.  Mr.  Petefish  also  has  a  num- 
ber of  descendants  in  the  county.     There  are 


many  others,  doubtless,  who  deserve  mention 
among  the  early  settlers  of  the  precinct,  but 
their  names  have  faded  from  the  memories  of 
the  pioneers  still  left  among  us.  JIany,  in 
fact  most  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  precinct 
who  were  prominently  indentified  with  its 
early  history,  have  passed  away  "  as  a  tale 
that  is  told."  A  few  have  scattered  to  other 
lands,  but  far  the  greater  number  have  gone 
to  the  land  of  dreams. 

When  the  first  settlements  were  made  here 
game  was  plenty,  and  the  people  depended 
mostly  on  it  for  meat;  game  and  corn-bread, 
with  wild  honey,  constituted  the  almost  uni- 
versal diet  for  several  years.  The  clothing 
worn  by  both  the  male  and  female  members 
of  the  family,  was  manufactured  at  home  by 
the  women,  on  the  old  fashioned  spinning- 
wheel,  cards  and  loom.  The  men  dressed 
deer  skins,  out  of  which  were  made  panta- 
loons, hunting  shirts  and  moccasins;  they 
made  shoes  from  leather  tanned  at  home  by 
themselves;  of  course  this  kind  of  material 
made  rather  a  rough  shoo,  but  being  the  best 
that  could  be  procured,  they  were  content;  in 
fact,  such  shoes  best  suited  the  rough  jaunts 
taken  on  foot  by  many  of  the  pioneers 
through  brush,  briers,  swamps  and  grass, 
wet  with  dew  and  rain. 

Everything  not  manufactured  at  home  was 
termed  a  "  store  "  article,  as  "  store  shoos," 
"store  hat,"  etc.,  and  any  one  attired  in 
"  store  clothes,"  excited  envv  in  the  younger 
members  of  the  community,  and  many  a 
young  lass,  when  appearing  in  pul>lic,  consid- 
ered herself  highly  honored  if  so  fortunate 
as  to  secure  the  attention  of  a  "  feller  "  ar- 
rayed in  "  store  clothes,"  furnishing  striking 
instance  of  that  weakness  in  human  nature, 
quite  as  common  in  this  enlightened  age — 
that  of  judging  persons  by  external  appear- 
ances. 

In  those  early  days,  the  people  managed  to 
get  along  without  nails,  glass,  sawed  lumber 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


or  brick,  for  the  reason  they  could  not  procure 
them.  Their  houses  were  small,  consisting  of 
one  story,  built  of  logs  or  poles,  unhewed, 
with  the  ends  projecting  from  six  inches  to  two 
feet  at  the  corners,  and  the  cracks  between  the 
logs  were  filled  with  sticks  and  daubed  with 
clay.  The  doors  were  made  of  boards  fast- 
ened in  place  with  wooden  pegs  and  hung 
with  wooden  hinges.  A  wooden  latch  raised 
by  a  string,  served  as  a  fastening  ;  the  string 
had  one  end  tied  to  the  latch  and  the  other 
passed  through  a  small  hole  above  it,  and 
when  the  door  was  fastened,  one  end  of  the 
string  was  hanging  out.  "  The  latch-string 
out"  was  the  pioneers'  emblem  of  hospitality. 
The  fireplaces  were  from  six  to  ten  feet  in 
width,  and  in  them  large  logs  blazed  on  win- 
ter nights,  warming  the  entire  household.  At 
one  side  of  these  capacious  hearths,  one  ar- 
ticle always  stood  conspicuous,  viz  :  the  kettle 
of  "blue  dye,"  with  which  the  old  ladies 
colored  their  "yarn"  for  weaving.  This 
kettle  being  covered  with  an  old  barrel  head, 
or  something  of  the  kind,  often  did  service  as 
a  seat  for  some  members  of  the  family,  and 
even  for  visitors.  Young  fellows,  when  on 
courting  expeditions,  sometimes  found  it  a 
very  convenient  seat  with  the  objects  of  their 
affections  in  close  proximity.  "Some  of  the 
best  men  or  our  country,"  an  old  gentleman 
informed  us,  who  had  probably  been  there 
himself,  "wooed  and  won  their  brides,  seated 
on  a  kettle  of  'blue  dye,'  by  the  blazing  fire 
of  the  backwoodsman's  rude  cabin."  On  the 
outside  of  the  houses,  it  was  no  uncommon 
thing  to  see  a  goodly  number  of  raccoon  and 
deer  skins  "stretched"  against  the  wall  to 
dry,  and  occasionally  the  skin  of  a  wild  cat, 
wolf  or  bear.  The  projecting  ends  of  the 
logs,  at  each  corner  of  the  cabin,  served  as 
places  to  hang  the  various  utensils  used  on 
the  farm,  such  as  hoes,  rakes,  bridles  and 
harness,  or  "gears,"  as  they  were  then  called. 
The  first  improvement  of  importance  to  the 


pioneer,  after  he  has  erected  a  shelter  for 
himself  and  family,  is  a  mill,  an  industry  that 
always  advances  with  civilization.  Judge 
Shaw  tells  us  in  his  centennial  address  on 
Cass  County,  that  the  first  mill  accessible  tc 
the  pioneers  of  the  county  was  Jarvoe's  mill 
on  Cahokia  Creek,  and  that  in  1821  a  mill  was 
erected  on  Indian  Creek,  and  later  a  horse- 
mill  was  erected  at  Clary's  Grove,  in  Menard 
County.  These  mills  served  the  people  in 
this  section  until  able  to  build  mills  for  them- 
selves. One  of  the  first  in  this  precinct,  of 
wh'ch  we  have  any  account,  was  built  by  a 
Mr.  Street,  about  1831-2,  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  29,  town  18  and  range  10. 
It  was  a  primitive  aifair,  but,  as  we  were  in- 
formed, was  "better  than  none  at  all."  H. 
H.  Hall  built  a  water  grist  mill  some  two 
miles  northeast  of  the  present  city  of  Virginia, 
about  1838,  on  Job  Creek.  It  was  for  grind- 
ing corn  and  wheat,  and  had  but  one  run  of 
burrs,  driven  by  a  horizontal  water-wheel 
with  upright  shaft.  Its  capacity  was  about 
eight  to  ten  bushels  per  hour.  As  population 
incrL'ased,'and  the  community  became  wealtliy. 
other  mills  were  built  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  growing  population.  Other  improve- 
ments were  male  in  the  precinct.  Roads 
were  laid  out,  and  put  in  order,  thus  render- 
ing travel  a  less  task  than  formerly,  and  where 
they  crossed  streams  and  sloughs,  bridges  were 
built.  Good  roads  now  pass  through  the 
precinct  in  every  direction,  diverging  from 
the  county  seat,  and  while  they  do  not  com- 
pare with  macadamized  roads,  they  are  about 
as  good  as  Illinois  soil  will  make  without 
artificial  aid. 

The  pioneer  fathers  were  alive  to  the  ad- 
vantages of  education,  and  lost  no  time  in 
establishing  schools  in  the  different  settle- 
ments. Mr.  Keiling  Berry  is  authority  for  the 
fact  that  a  school  was  taught  in  the  precinct 
as  early  as  1830.  During  the  first  few  years 
after  settlements  were  made,  there  were  no 


IlISTOUY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


siliOiiUiouses  or  churches  built  in  the  precinct. 
Schools  were  taught  in  abandoned  cabins, 
nnd  conducted  on  the  subscription  plan. 
Tlio  teacher  made  out  his  proposition  on  pa- 
per, and  the  parents  "  signed "  as  many 
scholars  as  they  had,  or  could  afford  to  pay 
for,  agreeing  to  pay  a  specified  sum  for  tui- 
tion a  certain  number  of  months.  The  first 
school  taught  in  the  precinct,  so  far  as  we 
l-ave  learned,  was  taught  by  M^illiam  Holmes, 
in  one  of  these  abandoned  cabins,  at  Sugar 
Grove,  Mr.  Berry  says,  about  the  year  1830. 
Keiling  Berry  himself  taught  a  subscription, 
or  on  the  select  school  plan,  from  November 
19,  1839,  to  September  1, 1840,  in  a  log  cabin 
still  standing  on  the  soiitheast  quarter  of  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  27,  township  17, 
and  range  10.  This  is  doubtless  the  oldest 
building  now  standing  in  the  neighborhood, 
used  as  a  temple  of  learning.  The  Angier 
school  house  which  stood  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  section  4,  is  believed  to  have  been 
the  first  built  in  the  precinct,  especially  for 
school  purposes.  It  was  erected  by  the  people 
of  the  community  by  their  own  mutual  labor, 
and  afterward  became  the  property  of  the 
district.  It  was  burned  some  eight  or  ten 
years  ago. 

School  facilities  increased  with  the  advanc- 
ing tide  of  immigration,  and  new  houses  were 
liuilt  as  they  were  needed.  At  the  present 
time  there  are  some  half  a  dozen  school  houses 
in  the  precinct  outside  of  the  city  of  Virginia. 
Those  are  good,  comfortable  houses,  fitted  up 
with  modern  furniture,  and  present  quite  a 
contrast  to  those  of  fifty  years  ago. 

There  are  at  present  two  churches  in  Vir- 
ginia precinct  outside  of  the  city.  Shiloh 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  is  located 
some  three  and  a  half  miles  west  of  the  city 
of  Virginia,  and  was  built  in  1857.  The  con- 
gregation was  organized  at  the  house  of 
Nathan  Compton,  in  Jersey  Prairie,  in  Mor- 
gan County,  in  the  fall  of   1827,  by  the  Rev. 


J.  M.  Berry.  After  the  congregation  was 
permanently  organized,  it  was  attached  to  the 
Sangamon  Presbytery,  and  was  represented  in 
the  semi-annual  meetings  of  that  boily,  from 
time  to  time,  until  about  the  year  1835. 
Hitherto  the  church  had  been  supplied  with 
preaching,  chiefly  liy  Kevo.  Berry  and  William 
M  Cord,  the  latter  of  whom  died  in  August, 
1833.  Rev.  Benjamin  Cauby,  who  moved 
into  the  bounds  of  the  church  about  the  year 
1830,  began  to  preach  to  this  and  neighboring 
societies  after  Mr.  McCord's  decease.  Mr. 
Compton,  one  of  the  first  elders,  had  moved 
away,  and  the  records  of  the  church  were 
either  lost  or  mislaid.  Under  this  state  of  af- 
fairs. Rev.  Ciuby  diemed  it  proper  to  re-or- 
ganize the  congregation,  which  was  done  in 
1837,  at  the  Shiloh  meeting  house,  and  which 
had  been  built  upon  land  donated  by  Mr. 
Cauby  for  that  purpose.  The  f  .Uowing  reso- 
lution was  adojjted  :  "  W/urcs,  We,  the 
undersigned,  believe  it  to  be  our  privilege  and 
duty  to  attach  ourselves  to  some  branch  of 
the  church  of  God  and,  so  far  a  we  have  read 
and  examined,  the  government  and  discipline 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  also 
believing  that  it  agrees  with  our  views  most 
in  accordance  with  Apostolic  mode,  do  and 
hereby  order  our  names  to  be  enrolled  as 
members  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Congregation 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church."  Following  are 
the  names  of  those  who  signe  1:  Rev.  Benja- 
min Cauby,  Joseph  Cauby  and  wife,  Abner 
Tining,  Richard  Matthews,  Sarah  Street, 
Susan  and  Mary  Beasley,  Nancy  Morgan,  D. 
A.  McCord,  Ann,  Elizabeth,  Sarah  and  Eliza 
Jane  McC  rd,  Elizabeth  Thompson,  Sarah 
Fraesell,  James  B.  Thompson,  William  and 
Sarah  Lowrance,  Margaret  Schaffer,  Richard 
D.  and  John  B.  Thomps  n,  Amanda  Matthews, 
Samuel  B.,  Matilda,  Matilda  J.,  and  Sarah  J. 
Thompson,  Catharine  Pratt,  and  H.  S. 
Schaffer. 

The  present  elders  of   the  church   are:  L. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


McNeil,  Henry  Bierhause,  and  Daniel  Bid- 
dlecome.  The  cluirch  lias  now  forty  mem- 
bers, under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  E.  Roach, 
and  a  good  comfortable  church  building. 

A  Sunday-school  of  about  twenty- live  pupils 
is  carried  on  in  connection  with  the  church. 
Daniel  Biddlecome  is  the  present  superinten- 
dent, a  position  he  has  held  for  the  past 
twelve  years.  The  school  was  held  at  the 
Union  school-house  until  within  the  past  two 
years,  when  it  was  removed  to  the  church 
where  the  church  organ  adds  a  pleasant  ac- 
companiment to  the  singing  and  to  the  gen- 
eral interest  of  the  school. 

Bethlehem    Methodist    Church   is   located 


about  three  miles  south  of  Virginia,  on  the 
road  to  Jacksonville.  It  was  built  more  than 
thirty  years  ago,  and  was  originally  a  kind  of 
vuiion  church,  being  used  by  several  denomi- 
nations, but  for  many  years  has  been  occupied 
onlv  by  the  Methodists. 

Virginia  Precinct  contains  the  county-seat 
of  the  county,  and  as  is  usually  the  case,  much 
of  the  history  of  the  precinct  centers  in  the 
county  seat,  leaving  but  little  to  say  in  the 
preliminary  chapter,  beyond  the  mere  settle- 
ment of  the  precinct,  and  the  mention  of  a 
few  minor  topics.  With  this  brief  sketch  of 
Virginia  procinct,  we  will  close  this  chapter, 
and  in  a  new  one  take  up  the  city's  history. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTEE  Yin. 


CITY  OF  VIRGINIA— ITS  BIRTH,  LOCATION  AND  GROWTH— SALE  OF  LOTS,  AND  ADDITIONS 
TO  THE  TOWN— DR.   HALL,    FOUNDER  OF   VIRGINL-V— FIRST    HOUSE   AND  STORE- 
PUBLIC   SQUARE  AND  COURT   HOUSE— BUSINESS   IN  THE  WEST  END— THE 
PRESENT  BUSINESS  CENTRE— HOTELS,   MILLS,   ETC— DOCTORS  AND 
LAWYERS— BANKING     BUSINESS— INCORPORATION    OF    THE 
CITY— MUNICIPAL  OFFICES-SUMMARY,  ETC.,  ETC. 


IN  historic  annals  we  are  enabled  to  meas- 
ure social  progress.  Society,  as  it  circles 
outward  from  a  common  centre,  has  a  ten- 
dency to  degenerate  from  its  original  and 
higher  type  to  one  of  a  lower  tone  and  stand- 
ard. History  reveals  the  fact  that  every  re- 
cedinof  circle  of  civilization  has  lessened  the 
forces  forming  and  completing  a  perfect  state 
of  society.  On  nearly  every  wave  of  immi- 
gration some  good  seed  is  borne  to  grow  up 
in  the  opening  soil  of  the  new  country.  The 
good  seed  is  usually  sufficient  to  begin  the 
work  of  raising  society  to  a  higher  level  of 
civilization,  and  their  transforming  power 
counteracts  those  demoralizing  influences 
which  tend  to  social  degeneration  and  disrup- 
tion, as  the  lawless  and  vicious  seek  the 
frontiers,  where  there  is  less  restraint  from 
civil  power.  This  good  seed  becomes  the 
nuclijus  around  which  gather  those  influences 
necessary  to  carry  society  onward  to  a  state 
of  comparative  perfection.  By  a  comparison 
with  the  rude  and  rough  scenes  of  the  past, 
we  may  see  how  much  has  been  done  in  this 
respect.  The  moral  and  social  standard  of 
the  community  afford  unbounded  evidence 
that  much  good  seed  has  fallen  in  this  local- 

The  city  of  Virginia,  to  which  this  chapter 
IS  devoted,  and  the  county  seat  of  Cass 
County,  is  beautifully  situated  in  a  fine  re- 
g'on  of  country,  near  the  geographical   cen- 


tre of  the  county,  and  is  surrounded  by  some 
of  the  best  and  most  productive  farms  in  the 
State.  The  Peoria,  Pekin  &  Jacksonville 
Railroad,  and  the  Springfield  division  of  the 
Ohio  &  Mississippi,  cross  here,  and  furnish  the 
citizens  of  the  place,  and  the  farmers  of  the 
adjacent  neighborhood,  ample  facilities  for 
shipping,  as  well  as  travel. 

Virginia  was  laid  out  by  Dr.  H.  H.  Hall, 
who  owned  the  land  upon  which  it  is  lo- 
cated. It  was  surveyed  by  Johnston  C.  Shel- 
ton.  May  17,  1836,  and  the  original  plat  oc- 
cupied a  portion  of  township  17,  range  10, 
west.  The  first  sale  of  lots  was  made  Au- 
gust 6, 1836,  and  the  records  show  that  Joel 
Horn  purchased  lot  5;  E.  B.  Gentry,  lot  6; 
George  Garlick,  lot  7;  M.  H.  Beadles,  lots  8 
and  9;  Isaiah  Paschal,  lot  10;  J.  B.  Gentry, 
lot  11;  Zebedee  Wood,  lots  13,  18,  and  19; 
Franklin  Marshall,  lot  20;  William  S.  Horn, 
lot  31;  Henry  T.  Foster,  lot  23;  L.  S.  Saun- 
ders, lot  34;  Joel  Horn,  lot  28;  William 
Quigg,  lot  33,  etc.,  etc.  Dr.  Hall  made  an 
addition  to  the  town,  which  was  surveyed  and 
platted,  July  1,  1837,  and  on  the  2.Jth  of  Au- 
gust the  sale  of  lots  in  this  addition  took  place. 

A  number  of  them  were  sold  on  the  day  of 
the  sale,  and  the  remainder  before  the  close 
of  the  year.  The  town,  for  a  new  place,  in 
a  sparsely  settled  district,  grew  rapidly,  and 
bid  fair  to  become  a  place  of  considerable 
business. 


80 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Dr.  Hall,  the  proprietor  and  founder  of 
Virginia,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  a  reg- 
ular graduated  physician.  He  served  for  a 
time  as  surgeon  in  the  British  navy,  and  in 
that  capacity  came  here  in  the  vcar  of  1813, 
remaining  in  this  country  after  its  close,  and 
in  1818  settling  in  Virginia.  He  remained  a 
citizen  of  the  Old  Dominion  until  his  removal 
to  Illinois  in  1835.  He  first  visited  the  West 
in  1831,  and  during  his  stay  entered  several 
hundred  acres  of  land,  upon  a  portion  of 
which  the  city  of  Virginia  now  stands.  Re- 
turning to  his  hofcie,  he  remained  there  until 
1835,  when  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  settled 
upon  the  lands  he  had  already  entered  here, 
and  the  next  year  laid  out  the  town  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  he  called  after  the  State  he  had 
first  chosen  for  his  home  after  becoming  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States.  Up  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  18-17,  he  was 
the  ruling  spirit  of  the  growing  town,  and  one 
of  its  chief  business  men,  fully  alive  to  its  in- 
terests, as  well  as  to  those  of  the  county,  and 
manifesting  his  zeal  by  encouraging  all  enter- 
prises looking  to  the  development  and  im- 
provement of  the  common  country  and  to 
his  own  county.  He  built  the  first  house 
within  the  present  limits  of  the  city,  and 
prior  to  the  laying  out  of  the  place.  It  stood 
on  what  is  now  Springfield  street,  one  block 
east  of  the  public  square,  and  was  a  frame 
building  a  Story  and  a  half  high.  He  was  not 
only  the  first  settler  of  the  town  of  Virginia, 
but  was  also  the  first  merchant,  and  opened 
the  first  store  in  the  place  in  1836,  having  for 
a  clerk  at  the  time  Charles  Oliver,  afterward 
a  prominent  merchant  himself.  The  first 
sale  made  from  Dr.  Hall's  store  was  by  Mr. 
Oliver,  and  consisted  of  three  pairs  of  shoes 
for  the  family  of  Wm.  S.  Berry,  and  the  pur- 
chase of  which  was  made  by  his  son,  Keiling 
Berry,  still  a  well  known  citizen  of  Virginia. 

An  addition  of  public  grounds  was  made 
V'y  Dr.  Hall,  surveyed  by  Wm.  Holmes,  coun- 


ty surveyor,  on  the  21st  of  June,  1838.  Vir- 
ginia had  then  become  the  county  seat,  and 
Mr.  Holmes  drove  down  a  stake  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  public  square,  as  the  spot  whereon 
the  court  house  should  be  built.  The  addi- 
tion comprised  fifteen  acres,  donated  by  Dr. 
Hall,  and  deeded  to  the  commissioners  of 
Cass  County  for  public  buildings.  A  court 
house  was  erected  on  the  square,  and  after 
the  county  seat  was  moved  liack  to  Beards- 
town,  the  house  and  grounds  were  sold  to  the 
town  for  school  purposes,  and  with  the  house 
rebuilt,  are  still  so  used.  Originally  the  bus- 
iness section  was  in  the  western  part  of  town, 
and  there  still  remains  many  traces  of  the 
old  business  houses  around  the  square,  now 
the  school  grounds,  as  the  laying  out  of  a 
square  and  the  erection  of  a  court  house  drew 
the  business  around  it. 

Hall  &  Thomas  made  an  addition  to  Vir- 
ginia, May  15,  1839;  surveyed  and  platted 
by  John  Clark,  county  surveyor.  The  same 
parties  made  another  addition  June  13, 
1856;  it  was  surveyed  by  John  Craig,  and  ac- 
knowledge before  Henry  Rabourn,  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace.  Robert  Hall  has  made 
several  additions;  one  surveyed  by  John 
Craig,  June  26,  1856,  and  another  platted 
by  the  same  surveyor  August  29,  1859, 
and  acknowledged  before  Squire  Henry 
Rabourn.  Barton  &  Wood  made  an  addition 
June  21,  1856;  surveyed  by  R.  C.  Cruiupton. 
H.  H.  Hall,  Jr.,  made  an  addition  Marcii  5, 
1SG6,  which  was  surveyed  by  J.  T.  Dunbar, 
county  surveyor.  Several  other  additions  have 
been  made  by  different  parties,  until  at  the 
present  day,  Virginia  covers  enough  ground 
for  a  city  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 

When  the  court  house  was  built  in  the 
square  now  occupied  as  the  city  school,  the 
business  was  drawn  around  it  as  it  is  now 
around  the  present  square,  and  as  we  have 
said,  some  of  the  old  business  houses  are  still 
standing,  and  there  are  traces  of  others.     No 


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HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


83 


one  with  an  eye  for  the  glorious  and  beauti- 
f  il  can  see  any  improvement  made,  either  in 
location  or  beauty,  by  the  removal  from  the 
"  West  End  Square  "  to  the  present  business 
location.  Hall's,  we  have  seen,  was  the  first 
store  opened.  Charles  Oliver  was  a  clerk  in 
Hall's  store,  but  in  a  year  or  two  went  into 
business  on  his  own  account.  He  kept  the 
second  store  in  Virginia,  and  remained  a  mer- 
chant of  the  place  for  many  years.  His  store 
was  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  old  square, 
south  of  Beardstown  street,  while  N.  B. 
Thompson — probably  the  next  merchant- 
had  his  store  on  the  same  corner,  but  north 
of  Beardstown  street.  Portions  of  these  old 
buildings  are  still  standing,  but  with  changes 
are  now  dwellings,  or  parts  of  dwelling-houses. 
Dr.  Hathaway  opened  a  drug-store  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  old  square,  the  first 
one  in  Virginia.  Other  branches  of  business 
were  established,  and  other  stores  were  open- 
ed. The  house,  or  the  brick  part  of  it,  where 
Harry  Thompson  now  lives,  was  a  store-house 
with  a  hall  in  the  second  story,  that  used  to 
witness  strange  events  during  the  late  un- 
pleasantness. The  old-fashioned  brick,  a  little 
iurther  east  from  Thompson's,  and  on  the 
same  side  of  the  street,  was  also  a  store-house. 
Thus,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  was  a  busy 
town,  where  now  are  but  a  few  private  resi- 
dences around  a  beautiful  square,  in  which 
stands  a  rather  dilapidated  looking  temple  of 
learning. 

Charles  Oliver,  the  second  merchant,  sprang 
from  a  family  of  merchants.  His  father  was 
a  heavy  importer,  and  two  uncles — brothers 
of  his  father — were  wholesale  merchants  of 
Philadelphia,  while  four  of  his  sons  were 
merchants.  One  of  these  sons — William  A., 
opened  the  first  store  on  the  south  side  of  the 
present  public  square,  in  the  Mead  building, 
now  occupied  by  J.  O.  Hammer  as  a  saloon. 
Hu  had  entered  Dr.  Hathaway's  drug  store, 
aiiil  after  bocominsf  familiar  with  the  business. 


not  having  means  to  go  into  the  drug  busi- 
ness, his  father  divided  his  own  stock  of  goods 
with  him,  giving  him  some  five  or  six  hun- 
dred dollars  worth  of  goods  out  of  his  store, 
which  he  opened  out,  as  we  have  said,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  present  square.  Influences 
wore  at  work  then,  which  eventually  resulted 
in  the  removal  of  the  business  to  its  present 
location,  affording  at  least  one  instance  of  the 
star  of  empire  moving  eastward  instead  of 
westward. 

Jake  Dunnaway,  who  was  a  mail  contractor, 
had  purchased  the  stage-stand  in  Virginia, 
which  was  then  kept  in  what  is  now  the  Virginia 
house,  or  a  part  of  it,  and  this  was  one  of  the 
influences  in  moving  the  business  in  this  di- 
rection. The  proposed  Illinois  river  railroad 
was  another.  These,  together  with  other  in- 
ducements, which  finally  culminated  when 
the  county-seat  was  moved  to  Beardstown, 
accomplished  the  change.  N.  B.  Thompson, 
whose  store  we  have  mentioned  as  standing 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  old  square, 
and  a  man  of  keen  penetration  in  business 
affairs,  saw  the  tendency  of  the  town  to  move 
eastward,  and  built  a  store  house  on  the  south 
side  of  the  present  square.  He  did  not  occupy 
it,  however,  but  rented  it  to  other  parties, 
and  continued  at  his  old  stand  sometime 
longer.  Finally  he  moved  his  store  house, 
now  a  part  of  the  city  hotel,  from  the  old 
square,  to  the  site  of  the  hotel  on  the  north 
side  of  the  present  square,  and  opened  his 
store  in  it,  though  there  was  no  other  house 
then  in  the  vicinity.  But,  he  said,  his  trade 
would  follow  him  wherever  he  went,  an  asser- 
tion that  proved  true,  as  he  was  one  of  the 
successful  merchants  of  the  town  for  many 
years.  Milton  Trotter  built  the  first  brick 
store  house  on  the  present  square,  which  is 
known  on  the  plats  as  "  Washington  B^ount- 
ain  Square."  It  comprises  two  stores  below 
and  Trotter's  hall  above.  After  this  time 
business  built  up  rapidly  in  the  new  locality. 


84 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  business  hovises  were  erected,  until  the 
present  state  of  improvement  was  reached. 
The  war  between  the  east  and  west  ends, 
which  was  carried  on  with  considerable  ardor 
at  times,  after  the  removal  of  the  county-seat 
back  to  Beardstown,  in  1845,  gradually  sub- 
sided, and  the  east  end  became  the  establish- 
ed scene  of  business  and  trade. 

Mr.  Hall,  besides  building  the  first  store 
house  and  residence,  built  also  tlie  first  tavern 
in  the  town,  which  was  first  kept  by  Powell 
&  Beadles.  With  many  changes  and  im- 
provements, xnoilernizations,  etc.,  until  but 
little  of  the  original  building  is  left,  it  is  now 
the  Virginia  House,  and  is  kept  at  present  by 
J.  B.  Craft.  It,  and  the  City  Hotel,  kept  by 
the  jolly  and  genial  John  Gore,  are  the  hotels 
of  the   town. 

A  post-office  was  established  at  Virginia, 
and  L.  F.  Sanders  was  appointed  postmaster. 
It  was  a  primitive  affair,  with  its  one  and  two 
mails  a  week,  presenting  quite  a  contrast  to 
Mr.  Wilson's  well-arranged  and  lucrative 
office. 

The  first  steam  mill  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  Virginia  was  built  by  N.  B.  Burs. 
It  was  a  modern  two-run  mill,  and  did  good 
•work  until  1852-3,  when  it  was  burned.  The 
city  was  without  a  mill  then  until  the  present 
one  was  built  by  Armstrong  &  Beasley,  some 
twenty  years  ago.  It  became  the  property 
of  Jacob  Dunnaway,  who  sold  it  to  Mr.  Cos- 
gro,  the  present  owner,  in  1871.  He  re- 
modeled and  improved  it  in  every  respect, 
and  made  it  thoroughly  a  first-class  mill. 
Originally  it  had  but  one  run  of  buhrs,  but  Mr. 
Cosgro  has  added  two  more,  and  all  the  latest 
improved  machinery,  purifiers,  Moline  clean- 
ing machinery,  etc.  He  makes  the  patent 
process  flour  as  well  as  straight  grade  flour, 
and  turns  out  at  the  rate  of  forty  barrels  every 
twelve  hours.  The  production  of  his  mill  is 
consumed  mostly  at  homo,  though  he  ships 
considerably  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 


and  grinds  winter  wheat  altogether.  Mr. 
Cosgro  learned  the  milling  business  in  New 
York  State,  at  Albany,  Oswego,  etc.,  and 
came  West  in  1860,  stopping  at  Peoria,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  the  Fort  Clark  and  City 
Mills,  coming  to  this  city  in  1871,  as  stated 
above. 

There  is  an  inevitable  meanness  in  every 
grand  event,  and  homeliness  of  detail  in  each 
heroic  life,  which  time  does  not  wholly  erase. 
We  go  a  thousand  miles  away  to  get  the 
mountain's  height,  and  we  are,  it  may  be,  too 
near  the  men  and  things  of  which  we  write. 
It  is  difficult  to  compose  a  history  of  the  city 
on  ])erspective,  and,  like  a  Chinese  draughts- 
man, leave  the  background  and  shadow  out. 
Any  one  can  be  wise  for  yesterday,  for  he  has 
results  to  jjuide  his  iudofinent.  But  Viririn- 
la's  yesterday  is  long  gone  by,  and  her  history 
has  lost  much  of  the  morning  freshness.  The 
incidents  of  its  first  years,  however,  are  as 
freely  canvassed  as  those  of  the  present.  Each 
feeling  and  prejudice  has  been  nursed  to 
keep  it  warm. 

Dr.  Hall  was  the  first  physician.  Although 
he  had  graduated  from  the  best  schools  and 
colleges  of  Europe,  and  had  served  in  the 
British  navy,  he  never  practiced  his  profes- 
sion after  settling  here,  except  in  case  of  ex- 
treme emergency,  but  devoted  himself  to 
other  business  interests.  Dr.  M.  H.  L. 
Schooley  was  the  next  physician,  and  com- 
menced practice  about  1836.  He  was  the  first 
who  opened  a  doctor's  office,  as  Dr.  Hall  did 
not  practice.  He  graduated  at  Philade'phia 
Medical  College,  and  continuei]  in  practice  in 
A^irginia  until  1867,  when  he  removed  to  Cass 
County,  INIo.,  where  later  he  died.  Dr.  Lord 
came  about  1846,  and  practiced  some  three 
j-ears  in  partnership  with  Schooley.  Dr.  Tate 
came  in  1841.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Medical  College  of  Ohio  (Cincinnati),  in  the 
class  of  1840.  Dr.  Hathaway  came  in  1844,  and 
k'^pt  the  first  drug  .store  opened  in   the  town; 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


85 


Dr.  Snyder  came  in  1863.  The  last  named 
has  a  fine  museum  which  he  values  very 
highly,  and  indeed,  there  are  very  few  such 
private  collections  to  be  found  in  the  country. 
At  the  present  time  there  are  six  practicing 
physicians  in  Virginia,  viz.:  Drs.  Tate,  Good- 
speed,  Snyder,  Hubbard,  Colladay,  and  Smith. 

"  When  lawyers  take  what  they  would  give; 
When  doctors  give  what  they  would  take  ; 
****** 
Till  then  let  Cummmings  blaze  away. 

And  Miller's  saints  blow  up  ihc  globe; 
But  when  you  see  that  hap  ly  day, 
Then  order  your  ascension  robe." 

The  first  lawyer  was  ilr.  Friend,  who  open- 
ed an  office  here  in  183B.  He  was  licensed 
to  practice,  and  was  a  very  successful  lawyer. 
R.  S.  Thomas,  probably  the  next  lawyer, 
fame  in  1839,  and  was  a  brother  to  Judge 
Jesse  B.  Thomas,  one  of  the  early  United 
States  senators  from  Illinois.  R.  S.  Thomas 
was  a  man  of  considerable  energy.  He 
was  president  of  the  old  Illinois  River  Rail- 
road Co.;  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in 
1847,  and  for  a  time  was  editor  of  a  Whig 
paper,  the  Cass  County  Times.  He  remained 
in  Virginia  until  1865,  when  he  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  died  about  1869.  Mark 
W.  Delaha  was  another  of  the  early  la'.\yers, 
and  located  in  Virginia  in  1844.  He  was  a 
man  of  ability,  a  fine  orator,  and  a  most  radi- 
cal Whig,  and  edited,  for  a  while,  the  first 
paper  established  in  Virginia,  The  Chrofiicle, 
an  ultra  Whig  paper.  Lee  Carpenter,  .1.  N. 
Gridley  and  R.  W.  Mills  came  in  at  a  later 
date.  The  bar  of  Virginia  comprises  now  some 
nine  members,  as  follows:  J.  N.  Gridley,  R. 
W.  Mills,  A.  A.  Leeper,  G.  L.  Warlow,  Henry 
Philips,  George  Martin,  W.  H.  Thacker,  C. 
M.  Tinney  and  Charles  Martin. 

The  banking  business  is  represented  in 
Virginia  by  three  banks,  firmly  established, 
and  comprising  considerable  capital. 

The   Farmers   National    Bank,  of  Virginia, 


was  organized  in  1865,  with  the  following 
officers:  S.  S.  Vance,  president;  H.  H.  Hall, 
vice-president,  and  John  H.  Wood,  cashier; 
the  first  board  of  directors  were  S.  S.  Vance,  H. 
H.  Hall,  I.  M.  Stribling,  William  Stevenson, 
John  A.  Ptitofish,  N.  B.  Thompson  and  A.  G. 
Angier.  The  capital  was  originally  $50,000, 
and  the  circulation  $15,000,  but  in  1869  the 
capital  was  increased  to  $150,000,  and  the 
circulation  to  $14-5,000.  In  1876,  Mr.  Wool 
resigned  his  position  as  cashier,  and  organized 
the  Centennial  National  Bank,  and  Mr.  J.  T. 
Robertson  was  appointed  cashier  in  his  stead, 
which  position  he  now  holds. 

July  16,1867,  H.  H.  Hall  was  elected  presi- 
dent, to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  re- 
signation of  Mr.  Vance,  which  position  he 
held  for  two  years.  A.  G.  Angler  succeeded 
Mr.  Hall;  John  A.  Petefish  and  John  Robert- 
son held  the  position  of  president  one  year 
each,  succeeding  Angler.  Then  George  Gat- 
ton  for  one  year,  x\iigier  again  for  one  year, 
then  Gatton  for  three  years.  In  January, 
1874,  Xjeorge  Virgin  was  elected  president, 
and  has  continued  in  the  position  to  the  pre- 
sent time.  The  present  board  of  directors 
are:  George  Virgin,  William  Stevenson,  Z. 
W.  Gatton,  Robert  Taylor,  J.  G.  Rexrout, 
John  Robertson  and  J.  T.  Robertson.  Z.  W. 
Gatton,  an  old  resident  of  the  count}',  has  been 
connected  with  the  bank  almost  from  the  time 
of  its  organization  to  date,  as  a  director  or 
officer. 

The  bank  building  which  this  bank  now 
owns,  is  as  good  a  banking-room  as  may  be 
found  in  Central  Illinois.  A  pleasing  feature 
of  the  institution  is  the  kind  and  courteous 
book-keeper,  Miss  Virgin,  whose  pleasant  face 
is  always  to  be  seen  above  the  book-keeper's 
desk. 

Petensh,  Skiles  &  Co.,  is  one  of  the  leading 
banking  houses  in  Caes  County,  and  was  or- 
ganized as  a  private  bank  in  187  ,  by  Samuel 
H.  Petefish,  Ignatius  Skiles  and  Jacob  Epler. 


86 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


It  commenced  business  under  rather  unfavor- 
able circumstances  at  that  time,  having  to 
contend  with  old  established  banks  in  adjoin- 
ing towns,  as  well  as  with  a  local  bank.  The 
office  was  placed  in  charge  of  Mr.  Richard 
Elliott,  as  cashier,  who  continued  with  the  firm 
for  two  years.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year, 
Mr.  Epler  retired,  ami  the  business  was  con- 
tinued for  some  eight  months,  when  Mr. 
George  Virgin  was  admitted  as  a  partner. 
In  September,  .8  2,  the  management  of  the 
business  was  transferred  to  Mr.  E.  T.  Oliver, 
who  was  also  ailuiitted  as  a  member  of  the 
firm,  and  who  has  continued  to  act  as  cashier 
up  to  the  present  time.  The  copartnership 
continued  until  April,  187j,  when  Ignatius 
Skiles,  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
firm  died,  leaving  interest  in  the  business 
which  was  continued  by  his  administrator  un- 
til September,  1875,  when  Oswell  Skiles  was 
admitted  as  a  member  of  the  firm  to  take  his 
brother's  place.  In  March,  1876,  Mr.  George 
Virgin  retired,  and  Messrs.  William  Campbell 
and  George  Crum  became  members  of  the 
firm — it  being  composed  of  Samuel  H.  Pete- 
fish,  Oiwell  Skiles,  E  Iward  T.  .Oliver,  Will- 
iam Cainpljell  and  Gjorge  Crum,  who  have 
composed  the  firm  from  tlie  latter  date  up  to 
the  present  time.  Although  numerous  changes 
of  personal  members,  the  firm  name  has  re- 
mained the  same  from  the  first,  and  it  has  be- 
come as  thoroughly  known  and  establishde  in 
the  county  as  any  public  institution. 

The  bank  has  had  a  varied  career  in  point 
of  business  ;  it  has  gone  through  panics,  de- 
pressed and  prosperous  times,  and  through  all 
has  maintained  its  high  standard  of  credit  and 
fair  dealing,  at  all  times  paying  particular  at- 
tention to  the  development  of  the  local  indus- 
tries and  enterprises,  as  well  as  aiding  its 
customers  to  successfully  manage  their  private 
business.  While  not  being  organized  as  a 
corporation,  it  has  always  been  rated  as  high 
in  credit  and    business   ability  as   any  of    the 


leading  baidiS  in  Central  Illinois,  and  at  all 
times  employing  sufficient  capital  to  supply 
the  legitimate  demands  of  business  men  who 
are  dealing  with  it.  The  private  means  of 
the  members  of  the  firm  are  stated  at  over 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  composed  of 
personal  property,  moneys  and  credits,  and 
unencumbered  real  estate,  of  the  latter  of 
which  tlu'v  own  near  five  thousand  acres  of 
the  best  improved  lands  in  the  county,  and  all 
of  which  represents  their  credit  in  the  bank- 
ino-  business,  as  they  are  individually  liable 
for  all  the  business  transacted  at  the  bank- 
counter.  This  fact  alone  has  added  largely 
to  their  long  list  of  customers,  as  they  well 
know  no  financial  crisis  can  alfect  their 
interests  when  so  thoroughly  protected  by 
private   wealth. 

In  February,  188  L,  the  firm  bought  out  the 
banking  house  and  business  of  Messrs.  H.  T. 
Chandler  &  Co.,  of  Chandlerville,  and  re- 
ceived as  a  local  member  of  the  firm  at  that 
place,  Mr.  W.  K.  Mertz,  who  had  been  in  the 
office  for  some  nine  years,  an  1  opened  the 
doors  of  the  new  firm  of  Petefish,  Skiles  & 
Mertz,  February  1,  1881.  Having  placed  the 
business  upon  a  firm  financial  basis,  and  prac- 
tic:tlly  ch.mgod  the  workings  of  the  former 
office,  the  public  soon  appreciated  the  efi"orts 
the  new  firm  were  making  to  furnish  them 
first-class  banking  fauili  ies,  and  the  rapid 
increase  of  business  has  attested  the  value  of 
their  regard.  The  business  is  under  the  im- 
mediate management  of  Mr.  Mertz,  but  the 
general  direction  is  from  the  head  firm  at 
Virginia,  whose  large  acquaintance  and  busi- 
ness experience  enable  them  to  furnish  all  ac- 
commodations needed,  and  to  supply  all  de- 
mands in  a  proper  manner. 

For  some  time  it  had  been  apparent  to  the 
home  office  that  a  bank  was  needed  at  Ash- 
land, and  acting  upon  their  own  judgment 
in  the  matter,  in  addition  to  urgent  requests 
from  the   business    men  of  that  placj  and  vi- 


IirSTOUY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


87 


cinity,  they,  in  September,  1881,  estaMished 
a  private  bank  in  that  town,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Skiles,  Rearick  &  Co.,  being  com- 
posed of  the  present  firm  at  Virginia,  and  re- 
ceiving as  an  additional  member,  Mr. Walter  S. 
Rearick,  of  Beardstown,  who  for  some  eight 
years  had  been  connected  with  the  Cass 
County  bank  at  that  place.  Being  successful 
in  securing  the  services  of  a  practical  business 
man,  the  office  was,  upon  September  5,188 1 ,  op- 
ened to  the  public;  not  having  time  to  provide 
a  suitable  office  for  transacting  their  business, 
the  firm  for  three  months  occupied  the  rear 
part  of  a  drug  store  in  the  place,  during 
which  time  the  builders  were  rapidly  at  work 
erecting  a  neat  office  building,  which  was  oc- 
cupied by  the  firm  about  the  5th  of  Decem- 
ber. The  immense  corn  business  at  that 
point,  and  the  mercantile  trade  growing  out 
of  it,  demanded  good  banking  facilities,  and 
the  satisfaction  of  the  customers  of  the  bank 
shows  it  has  been  render^'d  equal  to  all 
demands.  Like  the  Chandlerville  office,  the 
immediate  management  of  the  business 
is  conducted  by  the  local  member,  Mr.  Rea- 
rick; but  the  control  and  direction  of  it  pro- 
ceeds from  the  home  office,  and  the  firm  feel 
very  well  pleased  with  the  present  business 
now  in  their  hands  at  that  place,  and  only  hope 
their  efforts  to  accommodate  their  present  line 
of  customers  may  be  the  means  of  enlarging 
their  list  of  patrons. 

Such  is  a  short  synopsis  of  the  business  of 
this  firm,  which  has  grown  from  a  small  be- 
ginning to  be  the  most  extensive  in  Cass 
County,  and  equal  to  the  largest  in  other  im- 
portant counties.  Its  business  interests  di- 
versifies into  all  the  different  neighborhoods 
in  the  county,  and  its  credit  is  now  as  well- 
known  abroad  as  it  is  at  home.  With  ample 
means  and  unlimited  credit,  it  is  so  situated  as 
to  thoroughly  put  through  any  business  en- 
terprise it  may  undertake,  and  the  business 
ability  of  the  individual  memljcrs  of  the  firm. 


gives  increased  confidence  to  its  patrons.  To 
Mr.  Samuel  H.  Petefish,  the  only  living  mem- 
ber of  the  original  firm,  is  due  in  a  great  part 
the  present  prosperity  of  the  business,  and 
who  at  all  times  has  the  interest  of  the  county 
as  his  objective  point.  Being  the  prime 
mover  in  the  organization  of  the  bank,  he 
naturally  feels  very  proud  of  its  present  pro- 
portions, and  at  is  all  times  ready  to  advance 
the  interests  of  its  customers. 

Each  member  of  the  firm  feels  the  respon- 
sibility resting  upon  him,  in  having  the  sur- 
plus wealth  of  so  many  of  the  citizens  of  the 
county  deposited  with  them  for  safe  keeping, 
and  to  keep  their  honor  and  credit  untar- 
nished, and  attend  properly  and  in  a  business 
manner  to  the  demands  of  their  patrons,  is 
their  chief  aim  in  the  management  of  the 
business. 

The  Centennial  National  Bank  was  incor 
porated  April  11,  1876,  with  the  following 
officers  and  directors,  viz:  A.  G.  Angler. 
John  A.  Petefish,  Daniel  Biddlecome,  T.  J. 
Crura,  J.  H.  Bates,  A.  Struble,  Robt.  Hall,  W. 
L.  Black  and  Thomas  Dunnaway.  John  A. 
Petefish  was  elected  president,  and  John  H. 
Wood,  cashier.  The  original  stockholders 
were,  John  Fielding,  D.  R.  Downing,  W.  M. 
Gorellery,  Thos.  Dunnaway,  Daniel  Biddle- 
come, Wm.  Lindsey,  John  A.  Petefish,  A.  G. 
Angler,  Cyrus  Cruin,  G.  W.  Goodspeed,  .lohn 
Epler,  A.  G.  Epler,  Wm.  Epier,  John  A. 
Jones,  N.  W.  Spillman,  Geo.  A,  Woodworth, 
P.  M.  Petefish,  J.  F.  Black,  Joseph  Wilson, 
James  Thompson,  T.J.  Crura,  J.  W.  Savage, 
W.  L.  Black,  Geo.  A.  Beard,  J.  H.  Bates, 
Henry  Quigg,  Amos  Cox,  Robert  Hall,  A. 
Struble,  John  Edwards,  J.  H.  Tureman,  R. 
W.  Mills,  Mrs.  M.  S.  Caldwell,  A.  C.  An-ier, 
Jno.  H.  Melone,  Mary  E.  Henderson,  John  D. 
McHenry,  E.  A.  Gridley,  T.  J.  Nesbitt  and 
A.  S.  Montgomery.  A  portion  of  the  above 
names  are  not  on  the  rolls  now,  and  in  addi- 
tion  to  those   given,  are  the    following,  who 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


have  since  come  in:  Maria  Cunningliam,  B. 
Fielding,  Martha  B.  C.  Downing,  Henry 
Philips,  Mrs.  E.  J.  H.  Tomlin,  Thos.  Mead,  A. 
Petefish  and  G.  W.  Crum.  The  capital  stock 
was  $60,000  until  1877,  when  it  was  reduced 
to  $50,000,  with  a  circulation  of  $45,000.  The 
bonds  were  bought  when  they  were  high,  and 
depreciated  to  such  an  extent,  that  they  ab- 
sorbed the  earnings  of  the  bank  up  to  1879, 
when  the  first  dividend  was  declared,  which 
was  ten  per  cent.  An  annual  dividend  has 
been  declared  every  year  since  of  eight  per 
cent.  During  the  past  four  years  the  business 
of  the  bank  has  more  than  doubled. 

John  A.  Petefish  continued  as  president 
until  his  death.  May  24,  1880,  when  A.  G. 
Angier  became  president,  a  position  he  still 
holds.  T.  J.  Crum  is  vice-president  at  pre- 
sent. John  H.  Wood  continued  cashier  until 
June  15,  1878,  when  he  resigned,  and  the  pre- 
sent incumbent,  Mr.  James  B.  Black,  took  his 
place. 

We  have  noted  the  beginning  of  business 
in  Virginia,  and  traced  it  from  an  insignificant 
village  store  to  the  present  large  and  increas- 
ing business  and  trade. 

The  town  boasts  no  manufacturing  enter- 
prises, to  speak  of,  unless  it  be  the  tile  fac- 
tory, now  in  the  course  of  construction,  and 
which  will  be,  when  completed,  a  good  thing 
for  the  city,  as  it  will  be  the  begiiming  of 
manufacturing  industries.  It  is  manufactur- 
ing that  makes  a  town,  and  the  discovery  re- 
cently of  a  fine  vein  of  potter's  clay  in  the 
vicinity  of  Virginia,  ought  to  lead  to  the 
erection  of  works  for  the  making  of  stoneware 
at  no  distant  day. 

The  business  of  Virginia  is  strictly  retail, 
and  considering  the  competition  it  has  in  the 
neighboring  towns,  and  the  close  proximity 
of  Springfield,  Jacksonville,  and  even  St. 
Louis,  it  is  large.  The  class  of  business 
houses  are  good  for  a  town  of  this  size,  and 
are  a  credit  to   the  business  men  ;   banking 


facilities  are  excellent,  many  of  the  residences 
are  handsome,  and  the  churches  are  spacious 
and  commodious. 

An  item  of  interest  that  should  not  be 
overlooked,  is  the  set  of  abstract  books  of  J. 
N.  Gridley.  He  has  devoted  much  time,  and 
expended  about  $10,000  in  money,  to  the 
compiling  of  one  of  the  finest  and  most 
complete  set  of  Abstract  books  in  the  State 
of  Illinois.  They  contain  a  correct  copy  of 
the  entire  records  of  Cass  County,  showing 
all  the  titles  and  all  transactions  affecting  the 
titles  of  any  and  all  real  estate  in  the  county, 
together  with  plats  of  all  the  towns,  cities 
and  villages,  certificates  of  organization  of 
all  societies  and  incorporations,  which  exist  or 
have  existed,  and  much  other  valuable  infor- 
mation. The  entire  set  of  records  are  sup- 
plemented with  an  official  certificate,  by  the 
proper  officer  over  the  county  seal,  vouching 
for  their  correctness.  It  is  not  an  easy  mat- 
ter to  estimate  the  value  of  this  set  of  re- 
cords, particularly  if  the  original  records  of 
this  county  ever  be  destroyed.  The  records 
were  made  almost  entirely  by  Miss  Mary  E. 
Hill,  one  of  the  most  efficient  pen  women  and 
thorough  book-keepers  in  Virginia.  As  a 
work  of  art  alone,  they  are  worthy  of  perusal. 

The  Virginia  Building  and  Savings  Asso- 
ciation was  chartered  by  the  Legislature  in 
1876,  with  a  capital  of  $500,000.  The  object 
of  the  association  is  to  purchase  and  build 
city  residences,  thus  aiding  specially  the 
working  classes.  The  first  officers  were: 
James  Thompson,  President;  John  McHenry, 
Vice  President;  M.  Graves,  Treasurer,  and 
R.  W.  Rabourn,  Secretary.  Directors:  Jo- 
seph F.  Black,  P.  H.  Bailey,  Robert  Hall,  M. 
Graves,  and  E.  T.  Oliver.  It  has  already 
built  about  forty  residences,  and  loaned  out 
some  $40,000.  The  association  is  composed 
of  about  one  hundred  of  the  best  citizens  of 
Virginia. 

Virginia    was    incorporated    as   a  village, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


89 


Ausrust  19,  1857.  The  first  board  of  trustees 
was  as  follows:  Alexander  Sample,  Stephen 
P.  Gvviiin,  S.  W.  Neely,  .L  E.  Haskell,  and  .1. 
B.  Thompson.  The  first  officers  were:  C.  H. 
Oliver,  President;  John  W.  Nay  lor,  Town 
Clerk;  L.  S.  Allard,  Treasurer;  James  H. 
Harris,  Town  Constable,  and  John  A.  Giles, 
Street  Commissioner.  The  town  remained 
under  this  style  of  government  until  1872, 
when  on  the  22d  of  August,  of  that  year,  it 
was  incorporated  as  a  city,  and  the  first  set  of 
officers  elected,  were  as  follows,  viz.:  J.  A. 
Petefish,  Mayo-;  E.  M.  Dale,  Clerk;  J.  N. 
Wilson,  Treasurer;  R.  W.  Mills,  Attorney, 
and  Messrs.  E.  T.  Oliver,  A.  E.  Wyatt,  John 
Rodgers,  .Joseph  Wilson,  and  Morrison  Graves, 
Councilmen.  Since  then  the  following  gen- 
tlemen have  served  as  Mayor  of  the  city,  viz: 
J.  A.  Petefish  (two  terms),  1872-3;  Dr.  G.  W. 
GoodsjDeed,  187-4;  D.  N.  Walker,  1875;  W. 
W.  Easley,  1876;  P.  H.  Bailey  (two  terms), 
1877-8;  John  A.  Petefish,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  May,  1880;  and  J.  T.  Rob- 
inson was  elected  to  fill  out  the  unexpired 
term,  until  April,  1881;  P.  H.  Bailey,  1881, 
and  served  until  he  moved  away,  when  A.  G. 
Epler  was  elected,  and  is  (1882)  the  present 
incumbent.  Other  officers  are  R.  W.  Ra- 
bourn.  Clerk;  J.  B.  Craft,  Treasurer;  R.  W. 
Mills,  Attorney,  and  Marlin  Cosgro  and  Reu- 
ben Lancaster,  Councilmen  from  the  First 
Ward;  George  E.  Harris  and  Dr.-  D.  G.  Smith, 
Councilmen  from  the  Second  Ward;  W.  W. 
Bishop  and  Oswell  Skilos,  Councilmen  from 
the  Third  Ward,  and  Daniel  Murray,  City 
Marshal. 

The  last  premium  list  (1882)  of  the  Cass 
County  Fair  Association,  issued  from  the  of- 
fice of  the  Virginia  Enquirer,  contains  an 
historical  sketch  of  the  county,  and  of  the 
city  of  Virginia,  from  which  we  make  a  brief 
extract,  in  conclusion  of  this  chapter.  It  is 
a  kind  of  peroration  of  the  writer's  article  on 
Virginia,  and  shows  the  business  and  import- 


ance of  the  city  at  the  present  time.  It  is  as 
follows: 

"Forty-six  years  laden  with  sorrows  and 
joys,  bright  anticipations  and  vanquished 
hopes,  have  added  both  age  and  dignity  to 
our  little  town  since  it  was  first  laid  out. 
Many  of  the  old  citizens  who  were  wont  to 
dream  pleasant  dreams  over  what  the  town 
would  some  day  be,  are  quietly  sleeping  their 
last  sleep.  The  boys  and  girls  of  those  early 
times  are  boys  and  girls  no  longer.  They 
have  taken  the  places  of  men  and  women  in 
the  ranks,  and  are  earnestly  endeavoring  to  do 
the  work  laid  out  for  them.  The  reflections, 
however,  of  what  they  were  in  their  youthful 
days,  can  be  seen  in  the  many  bright  and 
happy  faces  of  the  scholars  who  attend  the 
public  schools.  During  all  these  years,  Vir- 
ginia hassteadily  gained  in  financial  strength, 
and  it  is  to-day  not  only  one  of  the  solidest 
but  one  of  the  most  beautiful  little  towns  in 
Central  Illinois.  Nature  has  freely  laid  her 
golden  off 'rings  at  our  feet,  but  only  those 
found  on  th  surface  have  as  yet  been  utilized. 
Some  day  in  the  future,  perhaps,  we  may 
muster  sufficient  courage  to  investigate  the 
mysteries  beneath  our  feet,  and  when  the  light 
of  day  is  once  permitted  to  shine  upon  them, 
a  transformation  of  our  little  town  will  take 
place,  equally  as  amazing  as  those  accom- 
plished by  Alladin  and  his  wonderful  lamp. 

"The  business  enterprises  of  the  little  city 
now  include  nine  grocery  stores,  eiglit  dry 
goods  stores,  three  drug  stores,  two  hotels, 
five  churches,  two  millinery  stores,  four  black- 
smith shops,  two  merchant  tailoring  establish- 
ments, one  first-class  clothing  house,  two  bar- 
ber shops,  two  livery  stables,  one  flour  mill, 
one  brick  yard,  three  boot  and  shoe  shops, 
five  saloons,  one  dairy,  two  hardware  stores, 
two  stove  and  tinware  establishments,  two 
wagon  manufactories,  one  meat  market,  three 
banks,  one  bakery,  two  restaurants,  two  har- 
ness shops,  two  furniture  stores,  two  under- 


90 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


takers,  one  lumber  yard,  two  agricultural 
implement  dealers,  three  grain  dealers,  one 
photograph  gallery,  three  sewing  machine 
agencies,  two  title  abstract  offices,  nine  law- 


yers, six  physicians,  two  jewelry  establish- 
ments, one  book  store,  two  dentists,  three 
painters,  three  contractors  and  builders,  one 
marble  shop,  and  two  printing  offices. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


91 


CHAPTER  IX. 

VIRGINIA— ITS  GROWTH  AND  DEVELOPMENT  AS  A  CITY— THE  ERA  OF  RAILROADS— PRO- 
JECT OF  BUILDING  THE  ILLINOIS  RIVER  RAILROAD— THE  OHIO  AND   MISSISSIPPI, 
ETC.— NEWSPAPERS    OF    VIRGINIA— FIRST    PAPER    ESTABLISHED    IN    THE 
TOWN— THE  PRESENT  CITY  PRESS— COURT  HOUSES  AND  THE  COUNTY 
SEAT  QUESTION— THE  JAIL- MISCELLANEOUS,  ETC.,  ETC. 


IN  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  seen  how 
Virginia  grew  and  developed  into  a  pros- 
perous town,  and  then  into  a  lively  little  city, 
governed  by  city  rules,  laws  and  regulations, 
and  with  a  rapidly  increasing  population  is 
quietly  gliding  on  in  the  full  tide  of  "success- 
ful experiment."  Her  growth  and  develop- 
ment, unlike  many  towns  and  cities  of  the 
West,  have  been  rather  slow,  but  all  the 
more  sure  for  being  slow,  and  it  requires  no 
prophet  to  foresee  her  prosperous  future,  if 
her  business  men  keep  their  eyes  open  and 
continue  to  do  their  whole  duty.  "  A  city 
that  is  set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid,"  and  one 
that  contains  a  plentiful  stock  of  business 
energy  cannot  fail  to  prosper. 

The  railroads  have  added  very  materially 
to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  Virginia,  as 
they  must  do  to  every  community  through 
which  they  pass.  A  brief  sketch  of  the  roads 
passing  through  the  city  will  not  be  out  of 
place  in  this  connection. 

The  Illinois  River  Railroad  was  agitated  as 
eady  as  1850,  but  it  was  some  years  later 
before  the  project  assumed  a  tangible  form. 
In  1853,  Gen.  Ruggles  of  Mason  County,  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate,  from  the  district 
comprising  the  counties  of  Sangamon,  Men- 
ard and  Mason,  and  at  the  first  session  in 
1853,  he  preferred  and  secured  the  enact- 
ment of  the  charter  under  which  the  road  was 
built.  Under  this  charter  Gen.  Ruggles  went 
to  work  and  procured  subscriptions  amount- 
ing to  over   $100,000,  and  organized  a  com- 


pany. At  the  first  election.  Judge  William 
Thomas,  of  Morgan  County,  R.  S.  Thomas, 
of  Cass  County,  J.  M.  Ruggles  and  Francis 
Low,  of  Mason  County,  and  Joshua  Wag- 
gonseller,  of  Tazewell  County,  were  elected 
Directors;  R.  S.  Thomas  was  elected  Presi- 
dent; M.  H.  L.  Schooley  was  elected  Secreta- 
ry; and  Thomas  Plasters,  Treasurer.  With 
some  slight  changes  this  directory  continued 
until  the  road  changed  its  name  and  owner- 
ship. Of  this  directory,  the  Havana  Herald, 
of  Sept.  11, 1857,  said:  "The  election  of  direct- 
ors of  the  Illinois  River  Railroad  took  place 
at  Chandlerville,  on  Saturday  of  last  week. 
A  large  number  of  persons  were  present 
on  the  occasion,  and  an  amount  of  stock  was 
represented  equal  to  $350,000.  Considerable 
interest  was  manifested  among  those  present, 
in  regard  to  who  should  be  elected  to  the 
directory,  and  as  to  how  they  should  be  ap- 
pointed. But  after  the  manifestation  of  con- 
siderable feeling  in  regard  thereto,  matters 
were  finally  arranged,  as  we  presume,  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  all  parties,  and  directors 
were  elected.  The  selection  of  a  more  effi- 
cient Board  of  Directors  could  not  have  been 
made.  They  are  the  very  best  men  to  be 
found  along  the  line  of  the  road,  and  their 
selection  will  meet  the  approbation  of  a  large 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  the  different  coun- 
ties through  which  the  road  will  pass,  and 
give  renewed  confidence  to  the  friends  of 
this  great  improvement." 

The  counties  and  principal  towns  through 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


which  the  road  was  surveyed,  subscribed 
liberally  toward  building  it.  Morgan  County 
voted  $50,000  stock;  Cass,  $100,000;  Mason, 
$100,000— $.50,000  at  two  different  times;  Ha- 
vana, the  county-seat  of  Mason,  voted  $15,000; 
Bath,  in  Mason  County,  $10,000,  while  other 
cities  did  well  in  the  same  substantial  manner. 
W.  G.  Wheaton  of  Peoria,  was  the  first  en- 
gineer employed,  but  soon  developed  a  dis- 
position to  locate  depots  and  speculate  in 
town  lots,  which  led  to  a  disruption  with  the 
directory,  and  finally  resulted  in  his  discharge 
from  the  employment  of  the  company,  and  the 
salection  of  another  engineer. 

The  contract  was  let  in  May,  1857,  for  grad- 
ing, bridging  and  furnishing  cross-ties  be- 
tween Pekin  and  Jacksonville,  a  distance  of 
about  seventy  miles.  Allen  and  McGrady,  of 
Indiana,  became  the  contractors,  and  the  work 
began  at  Bath  in  September,  1857,  and  was 
pushed  forward  rapidly  until  completed  from 
Pekin  to  Virginia,  which  was  accomplished 
in  1859.  The  section  from  Pekin  to  Peoria 
was  finished  in  1864,  and  from  Virginia  to 
Jacksonville  in  1869;  thus  completing  an  un- 
broken line  from  Peoria  to  Jacksonville.  For 
a  local  road  it  has  always  done  a  heavy  busi- 
ness. During  the  late  civil  war,  the  road 
changed  hands,  by  reason  of  a  foreclosure  of 
first  mortgage,  and  the  name  was  changed  to 
that  of  Peoria,  Pekin  and  Jacksonville  Rail- 
road, and  for  years,  was  operated  for  that  com- 
pany, by  John  Allen  and  J.  P.  Kelsey,  who 
gave  very  general  satisfaction  in  their  man- 
agement. In  1878,  the  road  went  into  the 
hands  of  a  receiver,  Mr.  John  Allen,  and  some- 
time after,  the  controlling  interest  passed  to 
the  Wabash  Railway,  since  which  time  it  has 
remained  a  feeder  to  that  great  system. 

It  is  a  matter  of  wonder  to  all  strangers 
who  visit  Virginia,  and  a  source  of  consider- 
able profanity  to  the  majority  of  commercial 
travelers,  that  the  depot  of  this  road,  was  lo- 
cated almost  as  near  to  Springfield  as  it  is  to 


Virginia,  and  "  thereby  hangs  a  tale."  One, 
however,  which  we  shall  not  attempt  to  "un- 
fold," further  than  that  its  being  partly  at 
least,  caused  by  the  war  then  existing  between 
the  east  and  west  ends  of  the  city,  by  little 
under-currents  of  feeling,  local  prejudices,  and, 
in  fact,  wheels  within  wheels,  which  together, 
resulted  in  the  road  being  located  beyond  the 
eastern  limits  of  the  city.  It  is  of  considerable 
inconvenience  to  the  citizens  of  the  town  and 
to  visitors,  and  the  project  now  agitated  to 
some  extent,  of  building  a  union  depot,  would 
be  hailed  by  all  with  unbounded  pleasure. 
However,  what  is  a  loss  to  the  citizens  and 
traveling  public  is  a  gain  to  others — the  bus 
men. 

The  Springfield  division  of  the  Ohio  &  Mis- 
sissippi Railroad  crosses  the  Peoria,  Pekin  & 
.lacksonville  road  at  this  place.  It  was  char- 
tered as  the  Springfield  &  Illinois  Southeast- 
ern, and  was  built  through  this  section  in  1871- 
72.  Cass  County  manifested  her  interest  in  the 
enterprise  by  voting  $50,000  stock,  for  which 
bonds  were  issued  of  $1,000  each.  Twelve  of 
these  bonds  have  been  paid.  The  road  be- 
came involved,  and  after  the  usual  amount  of 
wire-pulling  it  was  sold,  and  purchased  by  the 
Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad,  March  1,  1875, 
since  which  time,  it  has  been  known  as  the 
"  Springfield  Division  of  the  Ohio  &  Mississip- 
pi." While  it  is  not  kept  in  the  best  condition, 
yet  it  has  been  of  great  advantage  to  Virginia 
in  giving  her  a  more  direct  outlet  to  Eastern 
markets,  and  connections  at  Springfield  with 
several  first-class  roads.  These  two  roads 
have  made  Virginia  what  she  is,  and  afford 
her  ample  means  of  transportation  and  travel. 

The  Press. — No  art  save  that  of  printing 
can  reproduce  the  original  emanations  of 
genius  in  unlimited  number,  and  as  long  as 
time  shall  last.  Statues,  monuments,  paint- 
ings, molder  and  fade,  and  with  them  the 
names  of  those  they  were  intended  to  me- 
morialize; but  the  volume  of  to-day  may  be  re- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


93 


printed  ten  thousand  years  hence,  if  the 
world  shall  endure  so  long,  anJ  the  last  copy 
will  be,  for  all  practical  purposes,  as  available 
as  the  first.  In  this  age  of  refinement  and 
civilization,  of  education  and  letters;  an  age 
in  which  a  Henry  Clay  rises  from  the  humble 
"Mill-boy  of  the  Slashes"  to  the  greatest 
statesman  the  world  ever  saw,  and  an  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  steps  up  by  regular  gradation 
from  a  gawky  rail-splitter  to  President  of  the 
United  States;  in  this  age  of  advancement  we 
say,  a  town  of  any  importance  at  all,  without 
a  newsj)aper,  would  indeed  be  phenomenal. 
It  is  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  many  sec- 
tions of  the  country  pay  so  little  attention  to 
their  newspapers,  and  contribute  so  little  to 
their  support.  Said  Daniel  Webster:  "  I  care 
not  how  unpretending  a  newspaper  may  be 
every  issue  contains  something  that  is  worth 
the  subscription  price."  In  Ohio  it  is  a  State 
law  that  every  newspaper  published  in  the 
county,  shall  be  kept  on  file  in  the  office  of 
the  County  Auditor,  and  at  the  end  of  each 
year  be  bound  in  volumes  at  the  public  ex- 
pense. This  is  a  good  move,  and  should  be 
followed  in  the  other  States.  There  is  no  other 
way  so  correct  of  preserving  the  country's 
history  as  through  the  medium  of  the  press. 
The  very  advertisements  eventually  become 
historical  facts,  and  sometimes  of  the  greatest 
value.  The  press  of  to-day,  it  can  not  be  dis- 
puted, is  the  ruling  element,  not  only  in  the 
jx)litical,  but  in  the  social  world. 

The  newspaper  history  of  Virginia  dates 
back  to  184:7,  when  the  Chronicle  was  estab- 
lished. It  was  an  ultra  Whig  paper,  and  was 
originally  started  by  a  Mr.  Tilden,  an  own 
cousin,  it  is  said,  of  the  Sage  of  Gramercy 
Park,  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  of  New  York.  Mark 
W.  Dellaha  became  the  editor  and  proprie- 
tor, and  conducted  the  paper  until  1852,  when 
he  sold  out  to  parties  who  removed  the  paper 
from  the  town.  Mr.  Dellaha  was  a  lawyer 
of  considerable  prominence  and  ability,  and 


a  fine  orator.  After  selling  out  the  Chronicle 
he  removed  to  Kansas,  in  1853,  and  estab- 
lished the  first  paper  at  Leavenworth,  pub- 
lished in  the  State.  Subsequently  he  became 
Judge  of  the  United  States  District  Court  of 
Kansas. 

The  Cass  Coxmtu  Times  was  the  next  paper 
established  in  Virginia,  and  sprang  into  exist- 
ence about  the  year  1855,  through  the  energy 
and  enterprise  of  Richard  S.  Thomas,  one  of 
the  most  pushing,  and  live,  wide-awake  busi- 
ness men  in  the  town.  Mr.  Thomas  conducted 
the  Times  as  a  neutral  paper  until  the  cam- 
paign of  18G0,when  it  raised  the  standard  of  the 
Republican  party,  as  led  by  Abraham  Lincoln 
in  the  contest  for  the  presidency.  Thomas 
disposed  of  the  editorial  management  of  the 
Tirnes  to  Prof.  McDowell,  by  whom  it  was 
operated  until  the  close  of  the  year  ISGO,  or 
beginning  of  18G1,  when  it  was  sold  to  Mr. 
Naylor,  and  the  office  removed  to  Pekin,  a 
move  which  resulted  in  establishing  the  Taze- 
well Republican. 

During  the  hotly  contested  and  exciting 
campaign  of  18G0,  a  company  was  formed 
which  started  the  Cass  County  Union,  a 
Douglas  paper,  edited  by  Lafayette  Briggs, 
who  published  it  until  the  fall  of  18G4.  It 
had  become  the  property  of  Jacob  Dunnaway, 
who  sold  it  to  a  gentleman,  and  it  was  moved 
to  Beardstown,  but  was  shortly  after  again  re- 
moved, and  this  time  to  El  Paso.  Virginia 
was  now  without  a  paper,  and  remained  so  un- 
til 1867,  when  a  Republican  paper  was  estab- 
lished by  John  S.  Harper  and  N.  S.  Pur- 
viance.  It  was  shortly  after  purchased  by  L. 
S.  AUard,  who  changed  it,  or  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  Cass  County  Courier. 
While  these  changes  were  taking  place,  the 
Democrats  again  established  a  county  organ, 
with  a  Mr.  Friend  as  editor;  it  finally  fell  in- 
to the  hands  of  J.  J.  Bunce,  who  published 
for  a  time  the  Je.ffersonian;  but  later  moved 
the  office  to Chandlerville.     The  Courier  v.as 


9t 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


published  by  L.  S.  Allard,  until  in  February, 
18  2,  when  he  leased  the  office  to  his  son,  H. 
C.  Allard  and  W.  M.  Summers,  by  whom 
the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to  the 
Gazette,  and  operated  by  the  firm  about  one 
year.  Mr.  Allard  then  retired  and  Mr.  Sum- 
mers became  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  pa- 
per. The  Gazette  under  the  management  of 
Mr.  Summers,  at  once  took  rank  with  the 
best  conducted  newspapers  of  the  State,  be- 
ing bold  and  fearless  in  its  advocacy  of  what 
its  editor  deemed  right  and  just.  Every  issue 
of  the  paper  was  eagerly  read  by  an  increas- 
ing list  of  subscribers,  and  while  many  may  not 
have  agreed  with  the  editor  in  his  policy,  or 
endorsed  his  methods  of  treatingmen  and 
measures,  all  admitted  his  earnestness,  and  ad- 
mired the  bold  and  manly  course  he  pursued 
in  treating  of  local  issues  andcounty  affairs. 

In  the  memorable  contest  over  the  removal 
of  the  county  seat,  the  Gazette  was  a  staunch 
and  able  advocate  of  the  Virginia  interest,  and 
in  the  county  elections  pending  the  contest, 
to  his  efforts,  more  than  to  any  other  one  man, 
may  be  ascribed  the  successful  issue  of  the 
"  People's  movement,"  which  placed  in  most 
of  the  county  offices  men  who  were  pronounced 
for  Virginia.  To  say  that  Mr.  Summers  was 
without  enemies  would  be  to  assert  that  which 
is  not  borne  out  by  the  facts.  A  man  of  so 
pronounced  a  character,  so  bold  in  speech,  so 
strong  a  hater,  and  so  earnest  a  friend,  must 
needs  have  enemies,  and  they  lost  no  oppor- 
tunity to  heap  abuse  upon  him.  Through  all 
the  Gazette  continued  to  prosper,  and  became 
widely  known  as  a  fearless,  able  and  out- 
spoken paper.  In  February,  1876,  Mr.  Sum- 
mers's health  failed.  He  had  suffered  the 
previous  year  with  disease  of  the  lungs,  and 
was  unable  at  all  times  to  attend  to  the  duties 
of  his  office.  After  vainly  seeking  health  in 
the  cooling  breezes  of  the  north,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  retire  from  the  Gazette,  which  was 
j)urchased  by  Messrs.  Brownlee  &  Allard,  who 


assumed  charge  February  25,  1876.  Mr. 
Summers  died  in  Petersburg,  III.,  in  Novem- 
ber following. 

Mr.  Allard,  of  the  firm  of  Brownlee  &  Allard, 
was,  together  with  Mr.  Summers,  a  founder 
of  the  Gazette.  Mr.  Allard  retired  in  Sep- 
tember, 1876,  and  Mr.  Brownlee  continued 
alone  until  August  17,  1877,  when  T.  L.  Mat- 
thews and  W.  H.  Thacker  became  proprietors. 
Mr.  Matthews  bought  out  Thacker,  January  18, 
1878,  and  January  3,  1879,  H.  C.  Allard  again 
became  interested  in  the  paper.  During  the 
campaign  of  1880,  C.  M.  Tinney,  the  present 
editor,  had  editorial  control,  while  Mr.  Allard 
was  in  Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  conducting  the  Neio 
Era,  owned  by  Hon.  V.  Dell,  then  United 
States  Marshal  of  the  Western  District  of  Ar- 
kansas. April  29, 1881,  Mr.  Tinney  bought  the 
Gazette,  and  assumed  full  control  of  it,  which 
position  he  has  ever  since  maintained.  Under 
his  management,  the  Gazette  has  lost  nothing 
of  its  former  high  standing  as  an  able  and 
influential  newspaper,  but  continues  to  im- 
prove in  character  and  excellence.  It  ranks 
among  the  very  best  papers  in  Central  and 
Southern  Illinois,  and  is  the  leading  Repub- 
lican paper  in  this  section.  Mr.  Tinney  is 
an  able  and  efficient  writer,  and  a  live,  and 
wide-awake  newspaper  man,  deserving  of 
liberal  support  from  the  town  and  county. 

The  Virginia  Enquirer  is  a  weekly  paper, 
published  in  Virginia.  It  is  the  official  orgai: 
of  the  Democratic  party  in  Cass  County,  and 
an  able  and  earnest  exponent  of  the  principles 
of  the  Jacksonian  Democracy. 

The  Enquirer  was  started  by  John  S.  Harper 
and  J.  J.  Bunce,  in  the  spring  of  1874,  and 
the  first  number  was  issued  about  the  first  of 
August  in  that  year.  After  an  existence  of 
about  two  months,  Mr.  Bunce  sold  his  half 
interest  to  J.  H.  Remtsen.  A  few  weeks  later 
Mr.  Remtsen  disposed  of  his  interest  to  John 
S.  Harper.  After  running  the  paper  seven  or 
eight  months,  Mr.  Harper  sold  the  establish- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


93 


nient  to  a  Democratic  Stock  Company,  and 
the  management  of  the  paper  was  entrusted 
io  C.  A.  Ciandall  and  Thomas  Thompson.  In 
the  winter  of  1876,  the  Stock  Company  dis- 
posed of  the  property  to  William  T.  Dowdall, 
of  the  Peoria  Democrat.  In  March,  IS? 7, 
John  Frank,  the  present  proprietor,  purchased 
the  paper  from  Mr.  Dowdall,  and  issued  his 
first  number  on  the  nineteenth  of  that  month. 
Mr.  Frank  gave  the  paper  a  new  dress,  put  in 
new  job  material,  and  otherwise  increased  the 
facilities  of  the  office.  As  time  rolled  on,  the 
business  grew  and  prospered,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled from  time  to  time  to  enlarge  the  paper. 
The  subscription-list  is,  at  this  time,  five  times 
as  large  as  it  was  when  Mr.  Frank  took  pos- 
session. The  paper  is  a  large  seven  column 
quarto,  whose  advertising  columns  are  crowded 
with  advertisements  from  the  best  houses  in 
central  Illinois.  It  is  a  live  local  sheet,  and 
ranks  among  the  sterling  Democratic  papers 
of  the  State.  Mr.  Frank  has  labored  hard  to 
bring  it  up  to  its  preser.t  standard,  and  the 
success  that  has  attended  his  efforts,  is  no 
more  than  he  deserves. 

The  people  of  Virginia  and  the  surround- 
ing community,  have  two  as  able  local 
newspapers  in  the  Enquirer  and  Gazette  as 
are  to  be  found  in  any  c.  unty  in  the  State. 
They  should  feel  proud  of  their  city  press, 
and  support  it  as  it  deserves  to  be  supported. 

Court  Houses. — Virginia  has  twice  been 
the  seat  of  justice  of  Cass  County.  The 
county  was  organized  in  1837,  and  Bjardstown 
was  made  the  seat  of  justice,  but,  as  we  learn 
from  Judge  Shaw's  Centennial  address,  failed 
to  comply  with  the  act  of  the  legislature  re- 
quiring the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  to 
be  paid  in  to  the  county  treasury  for  the  erec- 
tion of  public  buildings,  and  the  County 
Commissioners,  under  a  provision  of  the  act, 
locat.'d  the  county  seat  at  Virginia.  The  fol- 
lowing act  was  passed  by  the  legislature  and 
approved  M.irch  2,  1S3'J: 


Be  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of 
Illinois,  represented  in  the  General  Assembly, 
That  the  county  seat  of  Cass  County  shall  bd 
and  remain  at  Virginia,  and  the  courts  of  said 
county  shall  hereafter  be  held  at  that  place; 
and  the  several  county  officers  who  are  required 
to  keep  their  offices  at  the  county  seat,  are  re. 
quired  to  remove  their  respective  offices,  and  all 
bonds,  documents,  books  and  papers  pertain- 
ing to  the  same  to  Virginia  on  or  before  the 
first  day  of  May  next,  and  thereafter  hold  and 
keep  their  offices  at  that  place,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

Thus  the  county  seat  was  moved  to  Vir- 
ginia in  an  early  period  of  the  county's  exist- 
ence, and  also  in  an  early  period  of  the  exist- 
ence of  Virginia,  which  had  been  laid  but  a 
year  or  two  before.  Fifteen  acres  of  land  were 
donated  by  Dr.  Hall,  the  proprietor  of  Vir- 
ginia, for  the  purpose  of  erecting  public  build- 
inrrs.  A  public  square  had  been  laid  out,  be- 
ing that  in  th.i  west  end  of  the  town,  upon 
which  the  public  school  building  now  stands. 
Upon  this  square  a  court  house  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  near  ^-^jOOO.  It  was  a  two-story 
brick,  and  served  as  a  temple  of  justice  until 
the  county  seat  was  moved  back  to  Bjards- 
town  in  1843—14.  The  vote  was  taken  in 
September  of  1843,  resulting  in  the  '■'■perma- 
nent location  of  the  county  seat  at  B^irds- 
town,"  but  which  proved  to  be  otherwise  than 
"  permanent."  It  was  not,  however,  until 
the  famous  election  in  1872,  that  the  ques- 
tion of  the  county  seat  was  settled,  perhaps, 
forever,  by  again  moving  it,  or  re-locating  it 
at  Virginia.  There  is  little  fear  of  its  ever 
being  moved  back  to  Beardstown,  and,  in- 
deeil,  looking  at  the  matter  from  a  disinter- 
ested standpoint,  we  can  really  see  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  rem  lin  where  It  now  is.  It 
is  near  the  geographical  centre  of  the  countv, 
has  two  railroads  crossing  almost  at  riglit 
angles,  an  excellent  court  house  and  jail,  all 
of  which  considered,  will  no  doubt  conspire  tj 
keep  it  at  Virginia   henceforth. 


96 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


•  The  present  court  house  is  a  modern  brick 
structure,  erected  on  the  new  public  square 
of  Virginia,  "  Washington  Fountain  Square," 
in  anticipation  of  the  removal  of  the  county 
seat  back  here.  It  cost  about  $35,000,  and 
was  built  by  the  business  men  and  citizens  of 
the  town,  and  presented  to  the  county  for  a 
court  house.  The  removal  of  the  county 
seat  was,  in  a  manner,  caused  by  this  liber- 
ality of  the  citizens,  as  its  removal  involved 
the  county  in  no  expense.  The  court  house 
is  a  substantial  and  elegant  building,  con- 
taining the  county  offices,  court  room,  jury 
rooms,  etc.,  and  stands  in  the  center  of  a 
beautifully  shaded  square.  But  few  counties 
in  the  State  have  a  better  court  house  for  the 
money  it  cost,  than  the  one  that  now  decks 
the  public  square  of  Virginia. 

The  jail  building  was  erected  in  Virginia 
in  1876,  and  is  a  substantial  building,  costing 
about  $15,000.  It  is  a  safe  depository  for 
criminals  and  evil- doer.-,  and  is  finished  off  in 
the  strongest  manner  possible.  To  it  is  at- 
tached a  sheriff  or  jailer's  residence,  which 
is  quite  a  comely  building.  The  prison  part 
of  the  building  is  of  stone,  containing  eight 
cells  ;  the  sheriff's  residence  is  of  brick,  with 
stone  trimmings,  which  sets  it  off  in  handsome 
style. 

Virginia  has  never  been  troubled  very  se- 
riously with  fires.  It  is  an  axiom  of  military 
law,  that  "  in  time  of  peace  prepare  for  war," 
and  no  one  can  say  just  when  some  raischiev- 
ious  cow  will  take  it  into  her  head  to  kick 
over  a  coal-oil  lamp.  There  are  many  wooden 
buildings  in  town  that  would  burn  like  — , 
well,  just  like  houses.  For  instance,  if  a  fire 
was  to  break  out  some  day — windy  day  or 
night,  on  the  east  side  of  the  square,  and  get 


five  minutes  the  start,  it  would  take  some- 
thing more  than  the  little  machine  pointed 
out  to  us  the  other  day  as  Virginia's  fire  ap- 
paratus, and  which  might  be  taken,  at  acaus- 
ual  glance,  for  a  wheelbarrow  or  a  delivery 
hand  cart,  to  extinguish  it.  A  few  public 
wells  or  cisterns,  and  a  good  fire  engine,  may 
sometime  save  the  town  from  a  destructive 
conflagration. 

It  has  ever  been  a  custom  of  mankind  to 
care  for  the  dead.  Loving  hands  lay  them 
away  to  their  last  rest,  with  faces  looking  up- 
ward and  eastward;  because,  from  the  ele- 
vated Orient,  the  Archangel  will  come  to 
summon  them  to  judgment.  In  an  early 
period  of  Virginia's  history,  a  cemetery  was 
laid  out  west  of  the  town,  upon  land  donated 
by  Dr.  Hall;  this  was  used  until  the  laying 
out  of  the  present  cemetery,  when  most  of 
the  bodies  were  taken  up  and  moved  to  the 
new  burial  grounds.  Walnut  Ridge,  the 
present  city  cemetery,  was  surveyed  and  laid 
out  July  b,  1873,  and  the  plat  made  by  J.  S. 
Lynch,  county  surveyor.  The  cemetery  was 
established  under  an  act  of  the  legislature, 
authorizing  cities  and  towns  to  buy,  hold  and 
improve  cemeteries  as  public  property,  under 
restrictions  adopted  by  city  councils.  Thus 
Walnut  Ridge  Cemetery  was  purchased  and 
improved.  It  is  a  beautiful  location  for  a 
burying  ground,  and  with  plenty  of  time 
and  money  spent  upon  its  improvement,  it 
can  be  made  a  place  of  surpassing  loveliness. 
Already  there  are  many  beautiful  lots  laid 
out  with  taste,  and  ornamented  with  flowers 
and  shrubbery,  while  neat  stones  and  monu- 
niLMits,  rising  here  and  there,  symbolize  the 
affection  of  surviving  friends  for  their  loved 
and  lost  ones. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COTINTY. 


«7 


CHAPTER  X. 

VIRGINIA— RELTCinuS    HISTORY-FIRST    CHURCHES    AND    PREACHERS— THE   DIFFERENT 

DENOMINATIONS    AND   THEIR   TEMl'LES    OF   WORSHIP— SUNDAY  SCHOOLS,  ETC.— 

EDUCATIONAL— THE  EARLY  SCHOOLS  OF   VIRGINIA— PIONEER  TEACHERS— 

THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS— C.  P.  COLLEGE— WAR  HISTORY— SECRET  AND 

BENEVOLENT  INSTITQTIONS,  ETC.,  ETC. 


CHRISTIAN  truth  is  the  superstructure  on 
which  every  society  which  approximates 
perfection,  must  rest.  Said  an  old  minister  of 
the  (xospel :  "  It  used  to  make  my  heart  sick 
in  the  early  years  of  my  ministry  to  dismiss 
members  of  my  charge  to  churches  in  distant 
regions,  and  have  brothers  and  sisters  and 
neighbors  leave  us  for  the  new  settlement  in 
the  opening  Territories.  But  as  I  have 
grown  older  and  followed  these  emigrants  to 
their  new  homes,  and  have  found  them  far 
more  useful  in  church  and  State  than  they 
ever  could  have  been  in  the  regions  they  have 
left  behind,  where  others  held  the  places  of 
influence  —  as  I  have  seen  them  giving  a 
healthy  and  vigorous  tone  to  society,  while 
the  separation  causes  a  pang  of  sorrow,  the 
good  accomplished  more  than  compensates 
for  the  pleasure  lost."  It  was  to  such  emi- 
grants as  those  mentioned  in  the  foregoing 
extract,  that  Illinois  is  indebted,  for  the 
Christian  civilization  she  to-day  enjoys.  The 
good  seed  brought  hither  by  these  humble 
pioneers,  have  produced  an  hundred  fold. 

The  first  Church  Society  formed  in  Virginia 
was  by  the  Protestant  Metho.lists.  They 
built  a  church  edifice  upon  the  site  of  Traph- 
agan's  horse  barn,  in  the  rear  of  Mrs.  Free- 
man's. It  was  a  frame  structure  about  30x50 
feet,  and  without  any  of  the  modern  improve- 
ments. .  The  Protestant  Methodist  organiza- 
tion his  been  extinct  in  Virginia  for  a  num- 
ber of  years. 


The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  was 
the  ne.xt  organized  in  Virginia.  It  was  form- 
ed of  meml)ers  principally  from  Shiloh  church, 
by  Rev.  Thomas  Campbell,  February  26, 
1842.  Among  the  original  members  were: 
William  Naylor,  BMijamin  Bjasley,  William 
Shilly,  Harvey  O'Neil,  William  Blair,  David 
Blair,  Daniel  Cornell,  Louise  O'Neil,  Susan 
Beasley,  Melville  Blair,  Mary  A.  Cornell, 
Margiiret  Weaver,  Mary  A.  Lindsley,  Mary 
Lorance,  and  Elizabeth  Biddlecome.  The 
first  elders  were  William  Naylor,  Benjamin 
Beasley,  and  William  Shilly.  Their  first 
place  of  worship  was  the  old  court  house, 
which  stood  where  the  public  school  building 
now  stands.  In  184:3,  they  built  a  frame 
church  on  Job  street,  opposite  Dr.  Tates, 
which  would  seat  about  250  persons.  The 
new  church,  which  stands  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  city,  was  built  in  the  summer  of  1879, 
by  J.  F.  Black,  and  cost  about  $4,600.  It  is 
a  handsome  brick  edifice  of  modern  architec- 
ture, and  will  seat  some  fifteen  hundred  peo- 
ple. Rev.  J.  E.  Roach  is  the  present  pastor, 
and  the  membership  is  perhaps  fifty.  A  Sun- 
day school  of  some  fifty  or  sixty  children  is 
maintained,  under  the  superintendence  of 
Mr.  S.  A.  Gould. 

The  Church  of  Christ,  of  Virginia,  was  re- 
organized in  1875  (of  its  previous  history  we 
were  unable  to  learn  anything  definite),  by 
electing  C.  W.  Elder  and  .1.  E.  Turner  as 
church   elders,  and   C.   W.   Black  and  J.  B. 


98 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Black,  deacons.  These  officers  resigned  in 
1877,  and  C.  W.  Elder,  J.  F.  Black,  and 
F.  A.  Wade  were  elected  elders;  C.  W.  Black, 
I).  D.  Wilson,  J.  B.  Black  and  T.J.  Kemper, 
deacons.  M.  Graves,  Joseph  F.  Black,  T.  J. 
Kemper  and  J.  E.  Turner  were  elected  trus- 
tees, John  Wear  holding  over,  making  five 
trustees.  The  church  began  holding  Sunday 
meetings  in  1873,  without  electing  officers, 
elder  C.  W.  Elder  preaching  occasionally  un- 
til the  organization  was  perfected.  He  was 
then  employed  by  the  -church,  and  preached 
until  1878,  when  elder  J.  L.  Richardson  was 
employed,  remaining  two  years,  when  he  re- 
signed, and  accepted  a  call  to  Europe.  He 
preached  there  one  year,  and  then  returned 
and  resumed  his  charge  here  in  1881,  and  is 
now  pastor  of  the  church.  During  the  time 
Eider  Richardson  was  in  Europe,  Elder 
James  McGuire  was  engaged  as  pastor.  Up 
to  the  fall  of.  1879,  services  were  held  in  the 
old  church  building  in  the  west  end  of  the 
town.  The  house  was  then  torn  down, 
the  material  removed,  and  a  new  church 
erected  (in  1879)  on  the  corner  of  Cass  and 
Beardstown  streets,  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000, 
including  furniture.  It  was  dedicated  by  Ei- 
der B.  J.  Radford,  president  of  Eureka  Col- 
lege, in  Woodford  County.  J.  F.  Black  was 
architect  and  builder  of  the  new  church  edi- 
fice, and  displayed  much  taste  in  the  design. 
The  church  now  has  143  members. 

The  Sunday  school  was  organized  contempo- 
raneously with  the  re-orgauization  of  the 
church,  and  has  continued  ever  since.  The 
present  superintendent  is  Charles  Martin;  Dr. 
D.  G.  Smith,  assistant,  with  an  average  at- 
tendance of  about  85  children. 

The  Ladies'  Christian  Missionary  Society 
of  this  church,  was  organized  November  7, 
1880,  with  eleven  members,  of  whom  Mrs.  J. 
A.  McGuire  was  elected  President;  Mrs.  James 
Black,  Vice-president;  Mrs.  Mattie  Rummel, 
Secretary,  and  Mrs.  A.  A.  Leeper,  Treasurer. 


The  contributions  of  the  society  for  the  first 
year,  were  twenty-three  dollars.  Its  present 
officers  are  Mrs.  Charles  Black,  President; 
Mrs.  James  Black,  Vice-president,  and  the 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  as  above  given.  The 
society  is  growing  in  strength  and  increasing 
in  usefulness.  Its  contributions  will  probably 
reach  near  thirty  dollars  the  present  year. 

The  Catholics  have  had  a  partial  organiza- 
tion in  Virsrinia  since  about  1840.  For  a 
number  of  years  mass  was  said  in  the  houses 
of  catholic  families,  until  something  like  or- 
ganization was  effected,  when  they  used  as  a 
church  an  old  building  which  stood  on  the 
south  side  of  the  square,  in  the  west  end,  and 
in  which  the  present  St.  Luke's  Catholic  church 
was  fully  organized.  The  present  handsome 
church  was  commenced  in  1880,  and  is  about 
40x90  feet.  When  finished,  its  cost  will  be 
near  810,000,  and  it  is  by  far  the  most  elegant 
church  edifice  in  the  city.  The  painting  and 
frescoing  is  just  finished,  and  reflects  great 
credit  on  Messrs.  Peters  &  Son,  the  firm  who 
did  it.  Rev.  Father  Michael  Ryan  has  been 
pastor  of  St.  Luke's  church  since  1876.  About 
45  families  compose  the  present  m  mibership 
of  the  church,  and  a  Sunday  school  of  about 
50  children  is  regularly  maintained. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ol  Virginia 
was  organized  about  1 836,  as  a  pai  t  of  the 
Petersburg  circuit,  under  the  Presiding  Elder- 
ship of  Rev.  Peter  Cartwright.  Among  the 
first  members  were  Rev.  Levi  Springer,  a  local 
preacher,  and  his  wife,  P.  S.  Ough  en  and 
wife,  M.  H.  Baadles,  G.  W.  Harris,  !  nd  his 
wife  and  daughters,  and  others  not  now  re- 
membered. Rev.  Enoch  Faulkner  was  one 
of  the  first  pastors,  and  when  this  church  was 
a  part  of  a  circuit,  large  in  extent.  For  some 
time  the  society  held  its  meetings  in  t.  e  old 
Protestant  Methodist  Church,  already  fre- 
quently alluded  to  in  these  pages,  and  after- 
ward the  court  house  in  the  West  End  was 
used    as    a    place    of   meeting.     The   pr.  sent 


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HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


101 


IVaino  church,  standing  on  Springfield  street, 
west  of  tiie  court  house — was  erected  in  1856, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $2,500.  The  membership 
is  now  120,  and  is  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Auer.  The  Sunday  school  has  a  regular 
attendance  of  about  100  children;  Mr.  Henry 
lierry  is  the  superintendent,  and  devotes  con- 
siderable attention  to  its  interests,  and  the 
moral   improvement  of  its  members. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Virginia. — 
The  following  sketch  was  furnished  by  Rev. 
J.  P.  Dawson,  the  pastor :  Although  the 
present  house  of  worship  was  erected  in 
1857,  and  was  occupied  as  a  Dreaching  sta- 
tion, by  stated  supplies,  there  was  no  regular 
Presbyterian  organization  until  the  year  1803. 

On  the  12th  day  of  June,  1863,  the  follow- 
ing petition  was  sent  to  the  Presbytery  of  San- 
gamon. ^'' Dear  Brethren: — We,  your  petition- 
ers, members  of  Providence  Church,  and 
others,  respectfully  ask  you  to  organize  us  in- 
to a  separate  church,  to  be  called  the  'Presby- 
terian Church  of  Virginia,  Illinois,'  under  your 
care  and  supervision,  if  in  your  judgment 
the  same  should  be  for  the  interest  of  Christ's 
cause."  (Signed)  G.  W.  Goodspeed,  Sarah 
vV.  Goodspeed,  Alice  H.  Goodspeed,  I.  N. 
White,  George  Wilson,  Jane  B.  Wilson,  Be- 
linda M.  Wilson,  John  N.  Wilson,  R.  M.  Wil- 
son, Wlliam  C.  Wilson,  Rev.  J.  Dale,  N.  S. 
Dale,  Eliza  J.  Dale,  G.  Clendenin,  Helen  Clen- 
denin,  Mary  H.  Stowe,  Mary  McCawly, 
Mary  E.  Haynes,  Eliza  C.  Heslep,  D.  R. 
Downing,  Mary  Downing,  N.  H.  Downing, 
A.  G.  Angier,  Eliza  A.  Angier,  Robert  Barr, 
Jane  Barr,  Hattie  Angier,  Grace  Suffren, 
Mildred  Berry,  .lohn  .1.  Bergen,  S.  S.  Bergen, 
James  McAllister,  William  McAllister,  Eliza 
McAllister,  Charles  Sloan,  and  Mary  A.  Sloan. 

In  compliance  with  this  petition,  the  Rev. 
J.  G.  Bergen,  D.  D.,  as  commissioner  of  San- 
gamon Presbytery,  preached  at  Virginia,  on 
the  4th  day  of  July,  1803,  and  afterward  pro- 
ceeded to  organize  the  "  Presbyterian  Church 


of  Virginia."  George  Wilson,  Dr.  G.  W. 
Goodspeed  and  David  R.  Downing,  were 
elected  and  installed  as  elders,  and  Glasgow 
Clendenin,  J.  N.  Wilson,  J.  J.  Bergen  and 
A.  G.  Angier,  were  ordained  deacons. 

The  organization  of  the  church  was  largely 
due  to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  .lohn  Dale,  who  as 
stated  supply  of  Providence  Presbyterian 
Church,  had  preached  at  this  point  for  several 
years.  After  the  organization  the  church  em- 
ployed Rev.  George  K.  Scott  as  stated  supply, 
who  labored  acceptably  for  nearly  two  years. 
After  he  was  called  to  another  field,  a  young 
licentiate  named  David  J.  Strain,  labored  here 
until  April,  1805.  The  people  were  well 
pleased,  and  through  the  Presbytery  extended 
to  him  a  regular  call  to  become  their  pastor, 
which  call  was  accepted,  and  on  the  20th  of 
June,  1805,  the  Presbytery  of  Sangamon  met 
in  Virginia,  and  ordained  Mr.  Strain  to  the 
gospel  ministry,  and  installed  him  as  pastor  of 
this  church.  The  blessing  of  God  followed, 
and  he  remained  the  faithful  and  efficient 
shepherd  of  this  flock  for  more  than  fourteen 
years.  But  on  account  of  failing  health  he 
was  led  to  resign  the  charge,  and  the  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved  in  July,  1880.  In  Oc- 
tober of  the  same  year  the  church,  employed 
Rev.  J.  P.  Dawson  as  stated  supply,  and  at 
the  end  of  the  year  extended  to  him  a  regular 
call,  which  was  by  him  accepted,  and  he  was 
duly  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church  by  a 
commission  of  Springfield  Presl)ytery,  on  the 
23d  day  of  October,  ]  881,  and  he  is  now  (1882) 
the  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  church  is  united  and  prosperous  ;  has 
a  comfortable  house  of  worship  and  parsonage; 
has  about  120  members,  and  a  Sabbath  school 
of  about  100  members. 

Educational. — Through  the  medium  of  the 
common  schools  are  the  rising  generation  of 
all  nationalities  assimilated  readily  and  thor- 
oughly, forming  the  great  American  people. 
The  common  shools  are  alike  open  to  the  rich 


102 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  the  poor,  the  citizen  and  the  stranger.  It 
is  the  duty  of  those  to  whom  the  administra- 
tion of  the  schools  is  confided,  to  discharge 
it  with  magnanimous  liberality  and  Christian 
kindness.  Diligent  care  should  be  taken  by 
instructors,  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of 
children  and  youth  committed  to  their  care, 
the  principles  of  morality  and  justice,  and  a  sa- 
cred regard  for  truth,  love  of  their  country, 
humanity  and  universal  benevolence,  sobriety, 
industry  and  frugality,  chastity,  moderation 
and  temperance,  and  all  other  virtues  which 
ornament  society. 

The  early  residents  of  Virginia  were  alive 
to  the  value  of  education,  and  opened  schools 
as  soon  as  they  could  support  tiiem.  The 
first  school  of  which  we  have  any  reliable  ac- 
count, was  taught  in  the  second  story  or  attic 
of  the  old  Protestant  Methodist  church,  al- 
ready described.  It  had  been  fitted  up  for  a 
school  room,  by  lathing  and  plastering  to  the 
rafters,  making  a  room  about  l-txoO  feet,  and 
in  this  unique  building  the  youth  of  the  early 
town  learned  the  first  rudiments  of  an  educa- 
tion. The  first  teachers  were  Miss  x\nn  Jour- 
dan,  a  Protestant  Methodist  preacher,  a  Miss 
Williams,  Mrs.  Blackman  Ross,  now  of  Jack- 
sonville, Miss  Mary  Ann  Lindsley,  now  Mrs. 
John  Ruckley,  of  Philadelphia,  and  others 
whose  names  are  forgotten.  The  first  school- 
building  owned  by  the  city  was  the  old  court 
house,  which  was  purchased  by  the  county  for 
school  purposes  after  the  county  seat  had  been 
moved  back  to  Beardstown,  and  was  occupied 
as  such  about  1846.  It  was  used  until  1867, 
when  it  was  torn  down  and  re-built,  and  has 
since  served  the  city,  until  the  purchase  of 
the  old  Cumberland  Presbyterian  College 
building,  now  used  by  the  city  for  a  high- 
school  department,  and  which  will  be  again 
referred  to  further  on.  The  city  schools  are 
in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  compare  favor- 
ably with  any  other  town  in  this  section  of 
the  State  of  a  like  popidation. 


The  High  School  was  organized  by  Prof. 
Loomis,  the  present  principal  of  the  city 
schools,  though  he  has  not  been  principal 
ever  since.  Several  who  have  filled  the  posi- 
tion have  become  somewhat  distinguished 
men.  Prof.  J.  A.  Johnson,  one  of  these  ex- 
principals,  is  now  a  practicing  lawyer  at  Oak- 
land, Oregon.  Another,  Prof.  R.  H.  B  !ggs, 
is  the  present  Superintendent  of  the  schools 
at  Denver,  Colorado.  We  are  unable,  how- 
ever, to  sketch  each  and  every  one  of  them, 
and  tell  whether  they  rank  as  great  or  small, 
among  the  men  of  the  time. 

The  teachers  for  the  ensuing  year  are  as 
follows,  viz.:  Prof.  John  Loomis,  Principal  ; 
Miss  Lucy  B.  Duer,  Assistant  Principal  ; 
Miss  Rachel  Berry,  teacher  6  th,  grade  ;  Geo. 
J.  Kelley,  5th  grade  ;  Miss  Monie  Tate,  4th 
grade  ;  Miss  Belle  Rodgers,  3rd  grade  ;  Miss 
Mary  Billings,  2nd  grade ;  Miss  Mary  E. 
Wright,  1st  grade  ;  attendance  about  350 
pujiils.  Springer  School,  Edward  Missie, 
teacher  ;  about  15  in  attendance. 

Union  College. — The  history  of  this  insti- 
tution is  brief,  and  its  career  was  shcjrt  and 
unprofitable  as  a  school.  When  tJie  Sanga- 
mon Presbytery  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church,  concluded  to  build  a 
Seminary,  three  difl'eriuit  p'aces  were  des- 
ignated as  the  point  where  the  school  should 
be  located,  and  the  choice  was  to  fall  to  the 
most  liberal  bidder.  In  other  words,  the 
town,  which  would  extend  the  most  liberal 
contribution  toward  building  the  Seminary, 
was  to  become  the  place  of  its  location.  This 
led  to  the  erection  of  three  buildings  at  as 
many  different  points,  viz.:  at  Virginia,  Cass 
County  ;  at  Mt.  Zion,  Macon  County,  and  at 
Lincoln,  Logan  County.  The  school  at  Mt. 
Zion  died  an  early  but  natural  death,  soon 
passing  out  of  existence. 

The  school,  in  the  meantime,  which  had 
been  established  at  Virginia,  was  changed 
into  the  Union  College,  but   never  prospered 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


liK! 


to  any  extent.  It  became  involved  in  debt 
and  was  finally  sold  to  the  city  of  Virgii'.ia, 
and  is  now  known  as  the  City  High  School 
Building.  The  school  at  Lincoln  flourished 
in  proportion  to  the  decline  of  the  others.  It 
became  a  college,  then  a  university,  and  is 
now  known  as  Lincoln  University.  The 
Virginia  school  was  run  under  denomina- 
tional rule  from  its  commencement,  about 
1865.  It  was  sold  to  the  city  about  1870,  for 
$7,500,  and  the  proceeds  used  to  strengthen 
the  Lincoln  school,  which  is  still  owned  by 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 

War  History. — In  a  work  of  this  kind,  it  is 
not  intended  to  write  a  history  of  the  late 
civil  war,  but  to  allude  very  briefly  to  the 
part  Virginia  took  in  the  matter.  A  war  of 
any  sort,  from  a  "  war  of  words"  to  bloody 
battles  between  contending  armies,  is  but  a 
sickly  detail  of  horrors,  and  a  civil  war  is  the 
most  deplorable  of  all.  It  would  be  well  if 
we  could  drop  a  veil  over  our  late  war  be- 
tween the  States,  and  blot  out  the  remem- 
brance of  it  forever.  It  is  a  species  of  history 
better  forgotten  than  perpetuated. 

The  Nineteenth  Illinois  Infantry  was  the 
first  regiment  that  drew  anything  like  a  com- 
pany from  Virginia  and  vicinity.  Company 
F  was  from  this  place,  and  was  officered  as 
follows;  Luther  S.  Allard,  Captain;  K.  H. 
Chandler,  First  Lieutenant;  and  James  G. 
Campbell,  Second  Lieutenant.  Captain  Al- 
lard resigned  December  1,  18G1,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Chandler  was  promoted  to  Captain, 
and  afterward  killed  in  buttle,  when  Lieu- 
tenant Campbell  became  Captain,  who  re- 
mained as  such  until  the  expiration  of  the 
regiment's  term  of  service.  Upon  the  pro- 
motion of  Lieutenant  Campbell,  Samuel  L. 
Himilton  was  promoted  to  Second  Lieuten- 
ant, and  then  to  First  Lieutenant,  and  mus- 
tered out  with  the  regiment.  John  Hill  was 
promoted  Second  Lieutenant,  January  2, 
1863,  and  resigned    (says  the  Adjutant-gen- 


eral's Report),  "  for  the  good  of  the  service." 
The  same  authority  makes  the  same  report  of 
Silas  W.  Kent,  who  was  promoted  Second 
Lieutenant  on  the  3rd  of  June,  1803. 

Of  the  service  of  the  Nineteenth,  the  Ad- 
jutant-gonerars  report  gives  no  record,  fur- 
ther, than  that  it  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service  at  the  close  of  its  three  years  term  of 
service. 

The  Thirty-third  Illinois  Infantry  was  the 
ne.xt  regiment  in  which  Virginia  was  repre- 
sented. In  the  Thirty-third  almost  an  entire 
company  was  enlisted  from  Virginia  and  the 
immediate  vicinity.  Company  K  was  the 
Virginia  company,  and  Charles  E.  Lippincott 
was  its  Captain.  None  of  the  other  commis- 
sioned officers,  however,  were  from  Cass 
County,  except  Second  Lieutenant  William 
H.  Weaver,  who  was  from  Beardstown. 
Lieutenant  Weaver  resigned  March  22,  1862, 
came  home  and  raised  a  company  for  the  100 
days'  service,  of  which  company  he  was  Cap- 
tain. Capt.  Lippincott  was  promoted  to 
Lieutenant-colonel,  March  1,  1863,  and  to 
Colonel  on  the  5th  of  September  following, 
he  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  with  the 
regiment,  and  was  promoted  Brigadier-gen- 
eral for  gallant  and  meritorious  services.  We 
have  not  space  to  give  the  names  of  the  entire 
company,  but  from  the  Adjutant-general's 
report  will  give  a  synopsis  of  the  history  of 
the  Thirty-third,  of  which  Company  K  formed 
a  part. 

The  Thirty-third  Infantry  was  organized  at 
Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  in  September,  1861,  and 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  by 
Capt.  T.  G.  Pitcher,  U.  S.  A.  Its  first  service 
was  in  Missouri,  where  it  did  little  but  scout 
duty,  until  March,  1862,  when  it  moved  into 
Arkansas,  and  was  engaged  in  a  number  of 
skirmishes,  and  several  rather  severe  battles. 
It  remained  in  Arkansas  until  in  the  spring 
of  1863,  when  it  was  ordered  to  St.  Genevieve, 
Mo.,  from  whence  it  embarked  for  Milliken's 


104 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Bend,  La.  Attached  to  the  'I'hirtepiith  Army 
Corps,  it  participated  in  all  its  battles — Port 
Gibson,  Champion  Hills,  Black  River  Bridge, 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  siege  of  Jackson,  etc.  In 
August  it  was  ordered  to  New  Orleans,  where 
it  was  engaged  in  several  raids  and  expedi- 
tions, and  in  November  was  ordered  into 
Texas,  where  it  did  considerable  manoeuvering, 
if  nothing  more  serious.  The  regiment  re-en- 
listed in  the  spring  of  18G4,  and  on  the  14th 
of  March  arrived  at  Blooming  ton.  111.,  where 
they  received  veteran  furlough.  It  was  re- 
organized in  April,  18ii4,  at  Camp  Butler,  and 
proceeded  to  New  Orleans.  It  remained  in 
Louisiana  on  guard  duty  at  dilferent  points, 
and  in  March,  1865,  was  ordered  to  join  the 
Sixteenth  Army  Corps.  On  its  way  the  train 
was  thrown  from  the  track,  and  9  men  killed 
and  70  wounded.  Company  K  had  fortunately 
remained  behind,  guarding  transportation, 
and  escaped  the  catastrophe.  After  the  cap- 
ture of  Mobile  the  regiment  moved  to  Mont- 
gomery, Ala.,  where  it  arrived  on  the  25th  of 
April,  and  where  it  received  the  news  of  Lee's 
surrender.  It  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
November  34,  1865,  at  Vicksburg,  and  was 
sent  home  to  Camp  Butler  for  final  dischare, 
after  more  than  four  years  continual  service. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  Illinois 
Infantry  contained  two  companies  from  Cass 
County,  one  from  Virginia  and  one  from 
Beardstown;  the  latter  company  will  be  writ- 
ten up  in  the  chapters  devoted  to  Beardstown. 
Company  ]).  was  Irom  Virginia,  and  was  or- 
ganized with  the  following  commissioned  of- 
ficers: Benj.  C.  Berry,  Captain,  Thos.  S. 
Berry,  First  Lieutenant,  and  David  N.  Down- 
ing, Second  Lieutenant.  Capt.  Berry  resigned 
January  3  ',  1865,  and  George  H.  Martin  was 
promoted  Captain  June  26, 1865,  but  mustered 
out  as  Sergeant  August  3, 1865.  Lieutenant 
Thomas  S.  Berry  was  honorably  discharged 
May  15,  1865,  and  Henry  D.  Freeman  was 
promoted  June  3ti,  18  35,  to  First  I^ieutenant, 


but  mustered  out  as  Sergeant  with  the  regi- 
ment. Second  Lieutenant  Downing  died  at 
Duckport,  La.,  May  22,  1863.  The  following 
facts  are  gleaned  from  the  Adjutant-gen- 
eral's reports  of  the  movements  of  the  regi- 
ment to  which  this  company  belonged. 

Tiie  One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  was  re- 
cruited during  the  summer  of  1862,  and  mus- 
tered into  service  on  the  18th  of  Sep- 
tember at  Camp  Butler,  Illinois.  The  regi- 
ment left  for  Memphis,  Tenn.,  on  the  8th  of 
November,  arriving  on  the  26th,  and  starting 
at  once  on  the  Tallahatchie  campaign.  Early 
in  I860  it  returned  to  Memphis.  It  was  or- 
dered to  Louisana,  and  on  the  2nd  of  May 
returned  to  the  rear  of  Vicksbnrg,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  Jackson,  Miss., 
where  it  lost  five  men,  killed  and  wounded, 
and  arrived  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg  on  the 
18th,  participating  in  the  siege,  with  a  loss  of 
twenty  in  killed  and  wounded.  It  did  little 
but  scout  and  guard  duty  until  in  .lune,  18'i4, 
when  it  went  against  Generals  Forrest  and 
Lee  at  GunJ;owu,  Miss.  The  battle  at  this  place 
commenced  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
troops,  worn  down  and  exhausted  by  a  double 
quick  march  of  three  miles,  were  hurried  into 
action,  and  after  fighting  five  or  six  hours, 
were  repulsed.  The  114th  reiuained  as  rear 
guards,  and  assisted  in  holding  the  enemy  in 
check  during  the  whole  of  the  first  night's 
retreat.  Out  of  the  397  men  of  the  114  th 
engaged,  it  lost  205  in  killed,  wounded  and 
missing.  Among  the  wounded  was  Lieuten- 
ant T.  S.  Berry,  of  Company  D. 

The  regiment,  from  this  time  until  August, 
was  engaged  in  numerous  scouts  and  expedi- 
tions, and  had  many  skirmishes  with  detach- 
ments of  the  enemy,  in  which  it  did  consider- 
able severe  fighting.  In  August,  1864,  it 
was  ordered  to  Duvall's  Bluff,  Ark.  It  left 
Brownsville,  Ark.,  in  pursuit  of  Gen.  Price, 
and  marched  to  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.,  in  sev- 
enteen days  on  ten  days'  rations.     After  long 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


105 


and  tedious  marches,  and  travel  by  rail  and 
boat,  it  reached  Kansas  City,  whence  it  was 
ordered  to  St.  Louis,  arriving  there  Novem- 
ber 15.  From  St.  Louis  it  was  ordered  to 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  it  arrived  in  time  to 
take  part  in  the  battles  of  the  loth  and  IGth 
of  December.  The  One  Hundred  and  Four- 
teenth was  attached  to  McMillan's  brigade, 
McArthur's  division  of  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith's 
corps,  which  brigade  was  especially  coinpli- 
niented  by  Gen.  Thomas  in  his  report  to  the 
War  Department.  After  the  surrender  of 
Mobile,  the  regiment  marched  to  Montgom- 
ery, Ala.,  arriving  April  24, 1865,  and  bridging 
the  Alabama  river  with  pontoons,  remained 
on  duty  at  the  bridge  until  July  17,  when  it 
was  ordered  to  Vieksburg,  and  mustered  out 
of  service  August  3,  18G5.  It  arrived  at 
Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  on  the  7th  of  August, 
and  on  the  15th  was  paid  off  and  discharged. 
These  regiments  are  all  that  contained  any- 
thing like  an  organized  body  of  men  from 
Virginia.  A  number  of  men  from  the  city 
and  vicinity,  were  scattered  through  various 
other  regiments,  but  none  in  organized 
bodies.  From  the  foregoing  sketch  of  the 
33d  and  the  114th,  it  will  be  seen  that  Vir- 
ginia's gallant  sons  performed  their  duty 
nobly,  during  those  four  long  and  dreary 
years,  and  that  some  of  them  came  not  back 
when  the  contest  ended.  From  bloody  fields 
of  war  and  carnage,  they  crossed  over  the 
river  to  join  the  grand  army  on  the  other  side. 
Thev  need  no  mausoleum  !  Their  fame  is  a 
part  of  the  nation's  history;  their  epitaph  is 
engraved  upon  the  hearts  of  men.  In  the 
language  of  the  gallant  O'Hara  : 

"  The  muffled  drum's  sad  roll  has  beat 

The  soldier's  last  tatoo  ; 
No  more  on  life's  parade  shall  meet 

The  brave  and  fallen  few. 
On  Fame's  eternal  camping-ground, 

Their  silent  tents  are  spread  ; 
And  glory  guards  with  solemn  round 

The  bivouac  of  the  dead." 


Secret  and  Benevolent  Institutions. — Be- 
nevolent institutions  have  existed  so  long, 
that  no  records  tell  of  their  organization, 
and  they  will,  doubtless,  continue,  "until 
time  shall  be  no  more."  The  history  of  Free 
Masonry  is  veiled  and  clouded  by  almost  un- 
written centuries  ;  yet  amidst  the  political 
fluctuations  of  the  earth,  and  the  downfall  of 
States  and  Empires,  its  traditions  have  been 
borne  to  us  on  the  current  of  time,  and  been 
gathered  together  by  the  Masonic  student  for 
the  meditation  and  instruction  of  the  Craft. 
All  who  have  considered  the  origin  of  Free 
Masonry  have  been  convinced  that  the  germ 
from  which  it  sprang  was  coeval  with  that 
wonderful  command  of  Jehovah:  "Let  there 
be  light,"  and  from  the  coincidences  found  to 
exist  between  it  and  the  ancient  mysteries, 
they  were  very  similar  in  character.  We  know 
that  the  aims  of  these  institutions  are  good, 
because  the  results  achieved  are  so  grand  and 
glorious.  We  believe  that  the  world  is  better 
for  their  existence,  secret  though  they  are  in 
their  workings,  and  agree  not  with  those  who 
believe  that  everything  is  evil  which  is  veiled 
in  secrecy,  and  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  tlie 
curious. 

Free  Masonry  is  represented  in  Virginia  by 
the  Blue  Lodge  only.  The  institution,  it 
seems,  has  never  flourished  very  vigorously 
here — the  more  's  the  pity.  Like  the  seed  that 
fell  in  stony  ground,  it  has  probably  been 
choked  by  the  briars  and  brambles.  Virginia 
Lodge  No.  544,  was  organized  under  dispen- 
sation, April  2,  A.  L.  5867,  and  was  chartered 
October  1  following.  The  charter  members 
were  G.  F.  Hellig,  W.  A.  Harding,  L.  P.  K. 
Yaple,  Casper  Magel,  F.  Underwood,  H.  H. 
Hall,  James  Smith,  James  M.  Rodney,  William 
Cox,  L.  S.  Allard,  Lee  Carpenter  and  H.  Bar- 
den.  The  first  Master  was  G.  F.  Hellig  ;  the 
first  Senior  Warden,  William  A.  Harding  ; 
and  the  first  Junior  Warden,  L.  P.  R.  Yaple. 
The  lodge  now  has  some  thirty  members,  and 


106 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


is  officered  as  follows:  G.  F.  Hellig,  Wor- 
shipful Master;  D.  G.  Smith,  Senior  Warden; 
A.  A.  Leeper,  Junior  Warden;  Thomas  Dun- 
naway,  Treasurer;  T.  M.  Hubbard,  Secretary; 
George  Davidson,  Senior  Deacon  ;  Parker 
Thompson,  Junior  Deacon;  and  Robert  Chet- 
tick,  Tiler. 

There  has  never  been  a  Chapter,  Council 
nor  Commandery  of  the  order  in  the  town, 
and,  as  we  remarked  above,  the  institution, 
from  some  cause,  has  never  flourished  here  as 
in  the  majority  of  Illinois  towns.  With  the 
amount  of  first-class  material  at  hand,  how- 
ever, the  time  will  come,  perhaps,  when  it 
■will  flourish  here  as  it  deserves  to  flourish 
everywhere. 

Odd  Fellowship,  the  twin-sister  of  Free 
Masonry,  though  comparatively  modern  in 
organization,  possesses  the  same  virtues,  and 
exerts  the  same  wide-spread  influence  for 
good.  It  is  represented  in  Virginia  by  Saxon 
Lodge  No.  68,  which  was  instituted  in  Virginia 
by  Deputy  Grand  Master  James  Leonard, 
March  14,  1850,  with  P.  O.  Bryan,  N.  B.  New- 
man, R.  S.  Lord,  I.  N.  White,  Charles  Boyd, 
W.  H.  H.  Carpenter,  and  William  Collins 
charter  members.  The  first  officers  were: 
R.  S.  Lord,  N.  G.;  W.  H.  H.  Carpenter,  V. 
G.;  I.  N.  White,  Secretary;  and  N.  B.  New- 
man, Treasurer.  Charles  E.  Lippincott  (now 
General  Lippincott),  was  the  first  member 
admitted  into  the  new  lodge.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  mini  Lodge  No.  4,  at  Jacksonville, 
and  as  soon  as  Saxon  Lodge  was  instituted, 
took  out  his  card  of  withdrawal,  presented  it 
for  admission  to  this  lodge,  and  was  elected  a 
member.  H.  H.  Hall,  now  of  Jacksonville, 
was  the  first  initiate,  being  elected  and  in- 
itiated at  the  first  meeting. 

The  first  hall  or  place  of  meeting  used  by 
the  lodge,  was  in  a  church  that  stood  near 
where  Traphagan's  livery  stable  now  stands, 
and  was  burned  in  1872.  This  building  was 
used  for  town  hall  political  meetings,  school 


house,  and  preaching  place  for  all  religions 
denominations,  and  was  not  the  most  secret 
and  retired  room  for  the  meetinsrs  of  a  lodg-e. 
It  was  used  however,  for  four  years,  and  in 
1854,  the  lodge  moved  to  the  upper  room  of 
the  frame  building  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
the  square,  now  occupied  by  D.  J.  McCon- 
nell  as  a  grocerv  store.  After  remaining  here 
two  years,  it  was  moved  to  the  West  End,  where 
most  of  the  business  of  the  town  was  then 
done,  and  occupied  the  brick  building  now 
used  by  Harry  Thompson  as  a  residence.  In 
1860,  it  bought  the  property  now  owned  by 
J.  G.  Campbell,  and  occupied  by  the  Dan 
Leonard  saloon,  on  the  west  side  of  the  square. 
It  used  the  upper  story  for  a  lodge  room,  and 
rented  the  lower  story  until  1864,  when,  owing 
to  the  rapid  increase  of  membership,  which 
had  reached  fifty-four,  it  became  necessary  to 
again  move  to  larger  quarters,  and  the  prop- 
erty was  sold  to  Mr.  Campbell,  and  the  lodge 
rented  the  room  over  the  Farmers'  National 
Bank,  which  gave  it  very  commodious  quart- 
ers. With  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  its  old 
building,  it  bought  the  lot  on  the  north  side 
of  the  square,  on  which  it  afterward  built  a 
hall.  It  bought  also  at  the  same  time  the  lot 
adjoining  it  on  the  east.  The  lodge  remain- 
ed, however,  in  the  room  in  the  bank  build- 
ing until  1873,  during  which  time  it  had  ac- 
cumulated something  over  $1,300.  It  now 
determined  to  build  on  its  ovpn  lots,  and  ac- 
cordingly contracted  for  a  brick  building 
20x80  feet,  two  stories  high,  to  cost  about 
$5,000,  and  with  its  $1,300  issued  bonds  to 
the  amount  of  $3,700,  which  were  sold,  and 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  building  was 
completed.  The  lower  room  was  occupied  by 
John  Rodgers'  furniture  store,  and  the  upper 
room  was  occupied  jointly  by  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows' and  Masonic  Lodges.  The  crisis  of 
1873-74  caused  many  of  its  members  to  drop 
out  of  the  lodge,  and  the  debt  under  which 
the   lodge    was   laboring  so   embarrassed  it. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


107 


that  in  1881,  after  struggling  long  and  hard 
against  many  difficulties,  it  succeeded  in  re- 
ducing its  debt  to  $3,600,  had  $175  in  the 
treasury,  and  but  twenty-two  members  on  the 
roll.  Under  this  state  of  circumstances  it 
proposed  to  the  bond-holders  to  give  theia 
the  $175,  and  a  deed  to  the  property,  to  be 
released  from  all  further  obligation,  which 
was  accepted.  The  lodge  then  rented  the 
upper  room  for  one  year,  and  at  the  close  of 
1881,  rented  the  suit  of  rooms  now  occupied 
in  the  Skiles  building,  on  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  the  square,  and  moved  into  them  in 
January,  1883.  Here  it  has  one  of  the  best 
arranged  halls  in  Central  Illinois,  and  at  the 
present  time  (1883),  has  a  membership  of 
over  ninety,  comprised  of  the  best  men  in  the 
county. 

The  present  officers  of  Saxon  Lodge  are  as 
follows  :  Henry  H.  Berry,  N.  G.,  Geo.  L. 
Warlow,  V.  G.,  Geo.  J.  Kelly,  Recording 
Secretary;  George  R.  Berry,  Permanent  Secre- 
tary, and  MattYaple,  Treasurer. 

Advance  Encampment  No.  139,  was  insti- 
tuted November  39,  1871,  at  Paxton,  Ford 
County,  111.,  and  the  charter  members  were 
Stacey  Daniels,  A.  F.  Blake,  Charles  Guth- 
man,  Dan.  Guthman  and  H.  C.  Funk.  The 
original  charter  was  destroyed  and  a  new  one 
issued  by  T.  Warren  Floyd,  Grand  Patriarch, 
October  13,  1874.  The  Encampment  was  re- 
moved to  Virginia,  and  re-organized  under 
a  dispensation  June  23,  1880,  from  W.  E. 
Carlin,  Grand  Patriarch.  The  first  officers  at 
Virginia  were  S.  M.  Colladay,  C.  P.,  F.  E. 


Downing,  H.  P.,  A.  A.  Leeper,  S.  W.,  S.  P. 
Henderson,  J.  W.,  C.  W.  Black,  Scribe,  and 
J.  W.  Wilson,  Treasurer.  The  present  officers 
are:  E.  D.  C.  Woodward,  C.  P.,  Jas.  A.  Mar- 
tin, H.  P.,  H.  H.  Berry,  S.  W.,  S.  M.  Colladay, 
J.  W.,  J.  W.  Stanley,  Treasurer,  and  F.  E. 
Downing,  Scribe.  The  Encampment  has 
now  about  thirty  members,  and  is  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition.  It  owns  no  property,  but 
uses  the  hall  in  common  with  the  lodffe. 

mini  Lodge  No.  854,  Knights  of  Honor, 
was  organized  January  16,  1878,  with  the 
following  charter  members:  J.  B.  Black,  C 
W.  Black,  W.  W.  Bishop,  C.  A.  Bruce,  John 
Black,  J.  T.  Black,  George  Conover,  C.  A. 
Crandall,  F.  E.  Downing,  J.  M.  Epler,  W.  W. 
Easley,  H.  D.  Freeman,  M.  Graves,  James 
Hunt,  C.  M.  Hubbard,  Reuben  Lancaster, 
Wm.  Murray,  T.  L.  Matthews,  T.  A.  Morrison, 
E.  T.  Oliver,  W.  B.  Payne,  J.  L.  Richardson, 
J.  W.  Rearick,  J.  W.  Savage,  C.  N.  Savage, 
J.  H.  Tureman,  J.  W.  Virgin,  N.  S.  Vance, 
Jno.  H.  Wood,  W.  W.  Walker,  D.  T.  Walk- 
er, D.  N.  Walker  and  J.  B.  Vanderventer. 
They  have  paid  out  for  widows  and  orphans' 
benefit  fund  about  $3,000,  and  have  lost  two 
members.  The  oflBcers  are  T.  L.  Matthews, 
P.  D.,  M.  Graves,  D.,  C.  W.  Black,  V.  D., 
J.  W.  Savage,  A.  D.,  W.  W.  Easley,  G.,  J. 
L.  Richardson,  C,  Wm.  Murray,  R.,  C.  A. 
Bruce,  F.  R.,  George  Conover,  T.,  W.  W. 
Bishop,  G.,  W.  W.  Walker,  Sentinel,  J.  B. 
Black,  J.  H.  Wood  and  D.  N.  Walker, 
Trustees. 


108 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTEE  XL* 

BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT— LAYING  OUT  OF  THE  TOWN— ITS  LOCATION— OR- 
GANIZATION—FIRST   OFFICERS— THE    COUNTY   SEAT    QUESTION-CHURCHES— 
SCHOOLS— THE  PRESS— RAILROADS— THE  PROFESSIONS— EARLY  SET- 
TLERS—BUSINESS  INTERESTS- WAR  RECORD,  E'IC. 


THOMAS  BEARD  and  Enoch  C.  March 
entered  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section 
15,  in  Township  18,  North  of  Range  12  West, 
on  Sept.  23, 182G,  and  Oct.  8,  1827;  the  same 
parties  entered  the  northwest  quarter  of  said 
section.  Thomas  Beard  entered  the  west 
half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  afore- 
said section  on  Oct.  10,  1827,  and  March  and 
Beard  also  on  the  same  date  entered  fraction- 
al section  10  in  said  Township,  embracing  ail 
the  lands  upon  which  Beardstown  is  now  lo- 
cated, except  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 
15,  and  the  west  half  of  section  14,  which 
two  last  mentioned  tracts  were  donated  by 
Congress,  in  lieu  of  the  deficiency  of  section 
16  for  school  purposes.  The  School  Commis- 
sioner of  Morgan  county  divided  this  land 
into  173  blocks  and  fractional  blocks,  which 
was  designated  as  the  School  Commissioners' 
addition  to  Beardstown,  and  the  first  sale  or 
blocks  in  said  addition  was  on  April  16,  1832, 
when  seventy-five  blocks  were  sold  therein, 
and  the  remaining  blocks  were  subject  to  pri- 
vate entry  at  affixed  prices. 

The  original  town  of  Beardstown  was  laid 
off  and  platted  by  Enoch  C.  March  and  Thom- 
as Beard,  Sept.  9,  1829,  and  recorded  at  Jack- 
sonville, Morgan  County,  in  Book  B,  page 
228. 

The  town  having  grown  rapidly,  an  addi- 
tion was  made,  called  "  March  &  Beard's"  ad- 
dition to  Beardstown,  recorded  March  6, 1833. 
Soon  afterward,   Mr.  March,  having  sold  his 

*  By  Judge  J.  A.  Arenz. 


interest  in  Beardstown  to  N.  A.  Ware,  an- 
other addition  was  made  by  Beard  &  Ware 
May  10,  1836,  and  also  a  further  addition  was 
made  by  Beard  &  Arenz,  July  1,  1837. 

There  were  also  additions  made  to  Beards- 
town by  John  Ayres,  David  Clendenin,  A.  B 
Dennison,  and  many  school  blocks  have  been 
subdivided  into  lots. 

The  location  of  Beardstown  is  a  very  favor- 
able one,  being  situated  on  the  Illinois  River, 
about  midway  between  Peoria  and  St.  Louis. 
It  is  connected  directly  with  St.  Louis  and 
Chicago,  by  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and 
Quincy  Railroad,  and  with  Springfield  and 
Southwestern  Illinois  to  the  Ohio  River  at 
Shawneetown,  by  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi 
Railway.  Another  railway  from  Burlington 
to  the  Ohio  River  is  contemplated,  running 
through  Beardstown,  which  in  all  probability 
■will  soon  be  built. 

For  purposes  of  manufacturing,  Beardstown 
is  not  surpassed  by  any  town  in  Illinois,  pos- 
sessing all  facilities;  for  there  is  plenty  of 
water  at  all  times,  and  coal,  timber  and  other 
building  materials  can  be  obtained  in  its  im- 
mediate neighborhood. 

The  first  licensed  ferry  across  the  Illinois 
River  was  granted  by  the  County  Commis- 
sioners of  Schuyler  County,  to  Thomas  Beard 
June  5,  1826. 

The  first  organization  of  the  town  govern- 
ment of  Beardstown,  was  by  the  election  of  a 
Board  of  Trustees  in  September,  1834.    Hay- 
wood   Reed    was    elected    President   of  the 
I    Board;  John  B.  Fulks,  Clerk;  Edward  Tull, 


HISTOUY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


109 


Assessor;  Martin  S.  Trent,  Collector;  Isaac 
C.  Spence,  Treasurer;  William  H.  Nelms, 
Supervisor. 

The  first  set  of  ordinances  were  passed 
Sept.  22,  1834. 

This  town  government  continued  from  year 
to  year,  by  the  election  of  new  oiBcers,  until 
Feb.  4,  1850,  when  a  city  organization  was 
established. 

"By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of 
March  3,  1837,  declaring  the  County  of  Cass 
to  be  one  of  the  counties  of  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois, Beardstown,  the  largest  town  in  Cass 
County,  and  having  the  most  numerous  popu- 
lation in  said  town  and  immediate  vicinity, 
was  designated  to  be  the  county  seat,  pro- 
vided the  citizens  or  corporation  of  Beards- 
town  raise  the  sum  of  $10,000,  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  erecting  public  buildings,  and 
that  the  Corporation  of  Beardstown  shall  be 
allowed  the  period  of  one,  two  and  three  years, 
for  the  payment  of  said  sura,  in  three  equal 
payments.  The  court  house  shall  be  erected 
on  the  public  square  of  Beardstown." 

At  that  time  it  was  not  a  very  easy  matter 
to  raise  $10,000  at  short  notice,  and  the 
hand}'  mode  of  running  a  town  in  debt  by  the 
issuing  of  bonds  had  not  then  been  discovered. 
There  was  also  a  great  diversity  of  opinion 
among  the  people  of  Beardstown ;  some  would 
much  rather  pay  nothing,  alleging  that  the 
county  ought  to  pay  for  its  own  buildings; 
others  objected  to  erecting  the  buildings  on 
the  public  square;  and  others,  although  wil- 
ling to  furnish  their  proportion  of  the  funds 
required,  were  unwilling  to  foot  the  bill 
alone. 

Therefore,  in  order  to  raise  the  amount  re- 
(juired  upon  equal  terms,  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature was  obtained  July  21,  1837,  authoriz- 
ing the  corporation  to  levy  a  tax  of  six  per 
cent,  per  annum  on  all  real  estate  in  Beards- 
town, according  to  the  value  thereof,  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  the  sum  of  $10,000. 


But  the  County  Commissioners,  then  in 
office,  Amos  Boiiney,  Joshua  P.  Crow,  and 
Geo.  F.  Miller,  were  determined  to  locate  the 
county  seat  at  Virginia. 

February  24,  1838,  the  board  of  trustees  at 
Beardstown  appointed  a  committee  to  inform 
the  County  Commissioners  that  Beardstown 
will  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  law, 
establishing  the  county  seat  at  Beardstown. 
This  committee  consisted  of  Thomas  Graham, 
Edward  Tull  and  Thomas  R.  Saunders,  and 
having  brought  the  matter  by  the  County  Com- 
missioners, reported  to  the  town  trustees  that 
they  had  presented  the  matter  to  said  County 
Commissioners'  Court,  while  in  session,  and 
Mr.  Bonney,  the  presiding  officer  of  said  court, 
had  treated  the  same  with  contempt. 

In  March,  1838,  another  eifort  was  made 
by  the  board  of  trustees  to  satisfy  the  Com- 
missioners' Court,  if  possible,  by  informing 
said  court  that  Ben.  H.  Gatton  had  made 
proposals  for  building  the  court  house  and 
other  public  buildings  at  Beardstown,  to 
which  the  following  answer  was  returned  by 
order  of  said  court: 

"To  Thomas   Wilbourn,  President  of  the 
"  Board  of  Trustees,  Beardstown. 

"I  am  directed  by  the  County  Commis- 
"  sioners'  Court  to  inform  j'ou  that  they  have 
"considered  the  propositions  submitted  to 
"  them  from  B.  H.  Gatton  through  your 
"  board,  and  regret  that  they  do  not  feel 
"themselves  authorized   by   law  to  acceed  to 

"it. 

"  Signed,  J.  W.  Pkatt,  Clerk." 

The  County  Commissioners  had  entered 
into  an  agreement  with  H.  H.  Hall,  a  resi- 
dent and  large  property  holder  of  Virginia, 
on  the  21st  of  April,  1838,  for  erecting  a 
court  house  and  jail,  at  Virginia;  and  said 
Hall  reported  at  the  September  term,  1839, 
that  said  buildings  were  completed  ;  where- 
upon the  commissioners  accepted  the  same, 
and  notice  was  given  at  said  Septemijer  term, 


11L> 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


1839,  to  the  county  officers,  that  their  offices 
were  ready  for  use  in  the  court  house  at  Vir- 
ginia. 

The  manner,  in  -which  the  county  seat  of 
Cass  was  thus  located  was  by  no  means  satis- 
factory to  the  citizens  of  Beardstown,  and  the 
western  portion  of  the  county,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted,  that  out  of  this  proceeding,  arbi- 
trarily and  highhanded,  as  some  called  it, 
and  a  desire  that  Beardstown  again  wished 
to  obtain,  what  Virginia  then  had  got,  grew 
up  that  unfriendly  feeling  between  these  two 
places,  which  existed,  and  still  exists,  to  the 
detriment  of  both. 

That  the  county  seat  has  never  been  any 
material  benefit  to  either  place,  has  been 
demonstrated,  for  each  town  has  had  it  long 
enough  to  prove  this.  The  only  benefit  in 
reality  is  the  convenience  of  access  to  the 
records,  offices  and  courts.  The  strife  for 
county  seat,  between  the  two  rival  places, 
has  cost  the  people  immense  sums  of  money, 
caused  much  hard  feeling,  and  prevented 
or  ruined  many  a  useful  enterprise. 

The  next  election  about  the  county  seat 
resulted  in  favor  of  Beardstown,  and  at  the 
March  term  of  the  County  Commissioners' 
Court,  H.  E.  Dummer,  Esq.,  on  behalf  of  the 
corporation  of  Beardstown,  presented  before 
said  court,  a  deed  from  Thomas  R.  Saunders, 
to  the  County  of  Cass,  for  Lot  1,  in  Block  31, 
in  Beardstown  ;  also  a  receipt  from  B.  W. 
Schneider,  contractor  for  building  the  court- 
liouse  at  Beardstown,  and  a  receipt  from 
Thomas  Beard,  contractor  for  the  erection  of 
a  jail,  and  also  the  certificate  of  the  suffi- 
ciency of  said  buildings  from  the  Hon.  Sam- 
uel D.  Lockwood,  presiding  judge  of  the 
Cass  Circuit  Court;  all  of  which  papers  were 
ordered  to  be  filed.  Upon  which  the  Court 
adjourned,  to  meet  at  Beardstown,  on  Mon- 
day, March  3d,  1845.  Beardstown  remained 
in  possession  of  the  county  seat  until  1875, 
when  it  was  removed  to  Virginia,  after  the 


election  in  1873  had  been  contested  and  car- 
ried tiirough  the  courts,  resulting  finallj'  in  a 
decision  that  said  election  had  been  in  favor 
of  Virginia  by  a  majority  of  eight  votes. 

Beardstown  adopted  a  city  organization  on 
February  4,  1850,  when  the  following  persons 
had  been  elected  as  officers: 

John  A.  Arenz,  mayor  ;  Eli  S.  Houghton, 
marshal. 

Aldermen  of  the  1st  ward — Thomas  Eyre 
and  Jesse  Riggins;  2nd  ward,  James  Hope 
and  Joseph  Stehlin;  3rd  ward,  George 
Gucnther  and  Jacob  Ritcher. 

S.  Emmons  was  appointed  city  clerk,  and 
T.  A.  Hoffman,  treasurer. 

The  present  officers  in  1883  are: 

J.  J .  Beatty,  mayor. 

Aldermen  of  the  1st  ward — H.  C.  Meyer 
and  S.  O.  Buck;  2nd  ward,  B.  F.  Epler  and 
H.  B.  Wilson;  3rd  ward,  H.  Schmoldt  and 
Henry  Huge;  4th  ward,  George  F.  Frauman 
and  H.  Schroeder. 

Charles  E.  Fulks,  clerk;  Franklin  A.  Ham- 
mer, treasurer;  J.  G.  Liston,  marshal. 

Churches. — The  first  church  was  erected 
in  1S41  or  1843,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Washington  Streets,  and  designated  as,  "the 
German  Evangelical  Church  at  Beardstown." 
Mr.  Beard  and  wife  executed  an  amended 
deed  for  the  lot  of  ground,  upon  which  it  had 
been  built  in  June,  1842. 

Mr.  George  Kuhl,  Christian  Kuhl  and  Wil- 
liam Hemminghouse,  were  elected  trustees  of 
said  church,  to  hold  their  offices  until  suc- 
cessors should  be  elected  and  qualified.  The 
church  was  open  to  all  denominations,  and 
independently  of  synods,  bishops  or  confer- 
ences. For  some  years  it  proved  to  be  a  very 
useful  institution,  filled  to  its  full  capacity  on 
Sundays  for  worship,  and  for  school  purposes 
on  other  days  of  the  week.  After  the  expira- 
tion of  several  years,  some  of  the  most  ortho- 
dox members  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  in 
addition  to  services  on  Sundays,  there  should 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Ill 


also  be  held  prayer- meetings  and  religious 
exercises  on  certain  evenings  during  the 
other  days  of  the  week.  In  this  movement 
Mr.  Hemminghouse  and  Mr.  Geo.  Kuhl  were 
the  leaders,  and  for  a  considerable  time  such 
meetings  were  held  in  the  town  school-house, 
or  in  a  building  on  Main  Street,  belonging  to 
Geo.  Kuhl,  and  resulted  finally  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  German  Methodist  Church, 
about  the  year  1845. 

Although  the  German  Evangelical  Church 
continued  on  for  several  years,  it  decreased 
in  members,  because  other  religious  societies 
had  been  established,  erecting  places  of  wor- 
ship of  their  own  until  finally  it  was  dissolved 
as  a  church  organization,  and  the  building 
was  sold  in  1881,  to  Mr.  H.  T.  Foster,  who 
constructed  it  into  a  dwelling  house,  which 
he  now  occupies  as  a  family  residence. 

The  second  church  in  Beardstown  was 
erected  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Washing- 
ton Streets,  in  1845,  as  a  Presbyterian  Church, 
but  in  February,  1850,  the  Congregational 
form  of  government  was  adopted,  and  it  be- 
came, "  the  first  Congregational  Church  at 
Beardstown." 

Horace  Billings  and  Dr.  V.  A.  Turpin  were 
the  first  deacons.  Mr.  Billings  continued  to 
hold  office  until  his  removal  to  Jacksonville 
in  1867.  The  Rev.  Socrates  Smith  was  the 
first  minister  of  the  church,  and  Dr.  B.  F. 
Grey  is  pastor  now. 

The  Methodist  Church  was  organized  in 
Beardstown  at  an  early  day,  supposed  to  be 
in  the  year  1837  or  1838,  and  a  church  was 
built  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  State  Streets 
in  1848,  and  an  addition  in  1874. 

Rev.  J.  K.  Miller  is  the  present  pastor.  In 
the  year  1846,  the  German  Methodists  erected 
a  building  for  worship  on  State  street,  which 
was  also  used  for  school  purposes.  In  1848, 
when  William  Bauermeister  was  pastor,  a 
dilTerence  arose  between  the  members  about 
some  question  of  belief,  or  government,  of  the 


nature  of  which  we  are  not  informed,  and  a 
division  occurred,  Mr.  Bauermeister  and 
thirty-two  members  withdrawing  from  the 
church  and  forming  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church. 

In  1851,  the  German  Methodists  built  their 
church  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  State 
streets,  and  the  old  building  was  converted 
into  a  dwelling  for  the  pastor. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Peter 
Wilkens,  and  the  present  one  is  John  Ritter. 

The  members  who  had  withdrawn  from  the 
German  Methodist  Church  with  William 
Bauermeister  organized  as  "  the  First  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Church  at  Beardstown,"  with 
William  Bauermeister  as  pastor,  and  in  184S 
erected  a  building  used  as  church  and  school- 
house,  and  shortly  afterward  erected  a  church 
at  the  corner  of  4th  and  Lafayette  streets,  in 
1850.  This  church  has  a  fine  organ,  and  is 
well  fitted  out.  Rev.  William  Bauermeister 
was  its  pastor  from  May  22,  1848,  until  Oc- 
tober, 1850.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  John 
Bond. 

The  church  increased  rapidly  in  members, 
and  in  1871,  when  Rev.  Robert  Knoll  was  its 
pastor,  dissention  arose  between  the  members, 
an'd  the  result  was  that  the  pastor  with  his 
adherents  withdrew,  and  established  another 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  on  6th  street. 
This  later  church  claims  the  same  name  as  tho 
former  ;  the  one  on  4th  street  adhered  to  the 
synod  of  Illinois,  and  is  now  connected 
with  the  general  synod,  whilst  the  church  on 
6th  street  is  under  the  Missouri  synod. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  6th  street  church 
was  Rev.  Robert  Knoll,  and  his  successor  is 
Paul  Merbitz. 

In  1871  the  church  on  6th  street  built  a 
house,  which  was  used  for  a  place  of  worship 
and  school  purposes,  and  in  1873  erected  a 
very  neat  church  at  the  corner  of  6th  and 
Jefferson  streets.  This  church  contains  a  fine 
organ,  and  the  windows  are  of  stained  glass. 


112 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


The  erection  of  this  church  shows  what  can 
be  acoompHshcd  by  determined  ]3eople.  Al- 
though the  number  of  members  was  small  at 
first,  they  nevertheless  put  up  buildings  cost- 
ing over  $8,000,  without  calling  for  any  aid 
outside  of  its  own  members.  Both  the  Lu- 
theran Churches  are  in  a  very  flourishing  con- 
dition. The  services  on  Sundays  are  well 
attended,  and  each  congregation  keeps  up  a 
school,  with  a  teacher. 

The  Catholic  Church  was  built  in  1855,  on 
5th  street,  and  was  considerably  enlarged  in 
1860.  Its  present  pastor  is  Rev.  Father  Weig- 
and. 

Schools. — The  first  school-house  was  built 
by  Thomas  Beard  and  F.  Arenz,  in  1833, 
which  was  also  used  as  a  place  of  worship  oii 
Sundays. 

In  1853  a  commodious  school-house  was 
erected  on  block  36,  on  4th  street.  This 
building  and  the  former  court-house  are  now 
used  for  public  school  purposes,  but  additional 
buildings  are  much  needed. 

The  Catholics  and  two  Lutheran  Churches 
have  also  schools  of  their  own.  There  is  also 
outside  of  Beardstown  a  school-house  near 
Casp.  Stock's  farm. 

The  enumeration  of  children  in  township 
18,  range  12,  of  which  Beardstown  alone 
contains  nearly  the  whole  population,  in  July, 
1882,  shows  that  there  are 

Males   under  21  years 797 

Females     «  "         867 

Total,     1,664 
The   population    of    Beardstown    is   about 
5,000  inhabitants. 

Ifeicsjyapers  at  Heanlstoten. — The  first 
newspaper  was  established  by  Francis  Arenz, 
and  was  published  in  1833  and  1834;  Francis 
Arenz,  editor,  and  J.  B.  Fulks,  publisher.  It 
was  called  The  Beardstown  Chronicle  and 
Illinois  Military  Bounty  Land  Advertiser. 
Then  for  some  time    there  was  no  newspa- 


per published  here,  until  in  1845;  S3'lvester 
Emmons  established  and  published  The 
Beardstoicn  Gazette,  the  first  number  being 
issued  in  August,  1845.  At  this  time  the 
newspapers  nearest  to  this  place  were  publish- 
ed, to  wit:  one  at  Jacksonville,  two  at  Spring- 
field, two  at  Quincy,  two  at  Peoria,  and  one 
at  Burlington,  Iowa.  In  1846,  the  Gazette 
published  the  delinquent  tax  list  for  the 
counties  of  Cass,  Mason,  Schuyler  and  Brown, 
it  being  the  only  paper  located  nearest  the 
county  seat  of  the  respective  counties.  This 
paper  was  continued  by  Mr.  Emmons  until 
1852,  when  it  was  sold  to  C.  D.  Dickerson 
who  published  the  paper  about  eighteen 
months;  when  it  was  sold  to  J.  L.  Sherman, 
who  afterward  sold  out  to  B.  C.  Drake,  who 
issued  the  paper,  and  for  some  time  also  pub- 
lished a  daily;  then  the  paper  was  published 
for  a  time  by  a  Mr.  Mitchell,  and  afterwards 
passed  into  the  hands  of  L.  U.  Reavis.  Mr. 
Reavis  having  published  the  paper  for  sever- 
al years,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  com- 
mittee, composed  of  members  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  of  which  J.  A,  Arenz  was  the 
chairman.  This  committee  were  the  owners 
of  the  paper  for  several  years,  and  it  was 
published  by  different  persons,  until  in  1867, 
the  paper  came  into  the  hands  of  John  S. 
Nicholson. 

From  the  time  of  sale  by  Mr.  Emmons,  the 
name  of  the  paper  was  alternately  the  Gaz- 
ette and  Central  Illinoisan,  which  latter 
name  it  still  retains. 

Mr.  Nicholson  has  published  the  paper  reg- 
ularly, and  under  many  trying  circumstances, 
to  the  present  day.  It  was  first  located  in  the 
building  known  as  "  the  Great  Western," 
which  burned  down.  Then  he  moved  the 
printing  office  into  the  Billing's  block,  in  the 
third  story,  when  in  the  night  of  Nov.  26, 
1875,  the  entire  block  was  consumed  by  fire, 
which  destroyed  the  press  and  everything  be- 
lonsring  to  the  office.     The  Illinoisan  is  now 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


lis 


]iublished  up  stairs  in  the  building  owned  by 
Siieriff  Sielschott,  on  Main  street.  From  its 
long  publication,  and  faithfully  and  ably  advo- 
cating the  interest  of  Beardstown,  it  deserves 
the  patronage  of  the  citizens  of  Beardstown. 

In  1876  another  paper  was  established, 
called  The  Cass  County  Messcmjer,  of  which 
Mr.  George  Dann  was  editor  and  publislior. 
This  paper  was  purchased  by  Joseph  P.  Sailor 
in  1880,  who  changed  its  name  to  Cass 
County  Democrat.  The  paper  is  published 
on  the  second  floor  of  the  building  owned  by 
the  estate  of  H.  Mohlmann,  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Jeiferson  streets.  Mr.  J.  P.  Sailor 
is  its  editor,  and  the  paper  is  well  gotten  up 
and  full  of  news. 

The  German  newspaper  was  first  established 
in  1877,  by  Rev.  A.  Sehaberhorn,  under  the 
name  of  The  JBeohachier  am  Illinois  Fluss. 
Mr.  Sehaberhorn  being  the  editor  and  pro- 
prietor until  1878,  when  it  was  purchased  by 
Mr.  Theodore  Wilkins,  who  edited  the  same 
under  the  name  of  The  JBeardstoim  Wochen- 
blatt,  until  his  death  in  1881,  when  the  paper 
was  purchased  by  Ross  &  Son,  who  continue 
to  edit  and  publish  the  same. 

This  paper  has  a  very  large  circulation,  and 
is  gotten  up  with  considerable  ability  and  in- 
dustry. It  is  of  large  size  with  a  supplement 
to  each  number,  and  deserves  the  support 
and  patronage  it  at  present  enjoys  among  its 
German  readers. 

liaiiroads. — When  the  era  of  railroads  had 
come,  causing  a  great  revolution  in  business 
matters,  benefiting  some  places,  and  cutting 
off  the  trade  of  towns  which  were  not  so  for- 
tunate as  to  obtain  a  railroad,  Beardstown 
was  for  some  years  at  great  disadvantage,  and 
desperate  efforts  were  made  by  its  citizens  to 
secure  railroad  facilities. 

Large  sums  were  subscribed  by  the  cor- 
poration, and  large  amounts  were  subscribed 
1)V  private  citizens,  and  Beardstown  has  now 
the  benefits   which  arise   from   two  railroads, 


and  there  is  a  very  fair  prospect  that  there 
will  be  very  soon  a  third  one  added. 

The  first  subscription  of  the  corporation 
was  made  March  1,  1857,  to  the  Rockford, 
Rock  Island  &  St.  Louis  Railroad  Co.,  of  '1^.50,- 
000,  and  between  Dec.  1,  1857,  and  Feb.  1, 
1SG9,  another  subsci'i[)tion  of  $10,000  was 
made  to  the  same  conipaiiy,  and  on  Nov.  1, 
18G0,  a  fuither  subseri()tion  was  made  to  the 
same  company  for  §12,000. 

January  1,  1871,  there  was  issued  to  the 
Pana,  Springfield  &  Northwestern  R.  R.  Co., 
the  sum  of  §8,000,  and  to  the  Rockford,  Rock 
Island  &  St.  Louis  R.  R.  Co.,  Aug.  1,  1871, 
the  further  sum  of  §1:0,000. 

Bonds  were  issued  for  said  amounts,  run- 
ning twenty  years,  and  bearing  interest  at  the 
rate  of  six,  seven,  and  ten  per  cent.,  respec- 
tively. The  whole  amount  issued  is  §150,- 
000,  of  which  §125,000  remain  unpaid  at  this 
time. 

The  Rockford,  Rock  Island  &  St.  Louis  R.R. 
is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  R. 
R.  Co.,  and  the  Pana,  Springfield  &  North- 
western is  now  controlled  by  the  O.  &  M.  R. 
R.  Co.  The  Ro  kford.  Rock  Island  &  St. 
Louis  was  completed  between  18Gi(  and  1871, 
and  the  Pana,  Springfield  &  Northwestern  in 
1871. 

Lmiyyers  and  Doctors. — The  lawyers  of 
Beardstown  are:  J.  Henry  Shaw,  who  is  now 
the  oldest  practicing  attorney  here;  Thomas 
H.  Carter;  Charles  E.  Wyman,  city  attorney; 
R.  Hewitt,  prosecuting  attorney  of  Cass 
County;  B.  F.  Thacker. 

Doctors  of  Medicine  are:  H.  H.  Litth^fiehl^ 

II.   Ehrhardt,    B.    Halm,    George    Bley, 

Avery,  T.  A.  Hoffmann,  B.  F.  Grey,  Moses 
M.  Dowler. 

Dentists. — F.  Smith  and  William  Hare. 

Danls. — The  Cass  County  Bank  is  man- 
aged by  F.  A.  Hammer,  president,  and  Charles 
E.  Fulks,  cashier;  and  the  People's  Bank. 
J.  H.  Harris,  president,  and  Thomas  K.  Cou- 


114 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


dit,    cashier.     Both    banks   do   a   flourishing 
business. 

The  American  Express  Company  has  an 
office  here,  which  is  managed  by  its  efficient 
and  popular  agent,  E.  F.  Derr. 

Secret  Societies. — The  Masons,  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Knights  of  Honor,  Druids,  A.  O.  U. 
Workmen,  Mutual  Aid,  Young  Men's  Social 
Club,  and  other  societies  have  lodges  here. 

There  is  also  a  temperance  organization 
with  a  large  membership,  who  meet  once 
every  week. 

f  Ettsiness  Affairs  at  JBeardstown. — Before 
the  railroad  era,  when  the  rivers  were  the 
main  channels  for  carrying  merchandise  and 
])roduce,  Beardstown  was  in  possession  of 
the  most  extensive  pork  trade  of  any  western 
town,  competing  even  with  Cincinnati. 

From  40,000  to  75,000  hogs  were  slaughter- 
ed annually,  between  the  months  of  November 
and  February. 

Among  the  firms  most  largely  engaged  in 
pork-packing,  of  which  some  were  large  deal- 
ers in  grain,  were:  Houston  &  Co.,  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio;  Gano,  Thoms  &  Talbot,  Col. 
McKee,  Wheeling,  Va.;  Sydam,  Sage  &  Co., 
New  York. 

The  Beardstown  grain  dealers  were:  Nolte 
&  McClure,  S.  M.  Tinsley  &  Co.,  H.  F.  Foster, 
Horace  Billings,  D.  Kreigh  &  Co.,  John 
McDonald,  H.  Chadsey  &  Co. 

There  were  also  many  others,  pork-packers 
in  smaller  quantites. 

Among  the  dealers  in  grain  before  the  rail- 
road era,  were  Knapp  &  Pogue;  Basset  & 
Taylor;  George  Kuhl;  Chase,  Rich  &  Parker; 
George  Volkmar  &  Co.;  E.  J.  Dutch  &  Bro. ; 
Thompson  &  Eatnes;  J.  W.  Thompson  &  Co.; 
H.  F.  Foster  &  Co,> 

The  present  dealers  in  grain  are:  Garm 
Wilson  &  Co.;  George  Kuhl;  Hagener  &  Bro 

The  business  at  the  present  time  in  Beards- 
town, in  full  operation,  are:  three  houses  deal 
ing  in   agricultural   implements,  two   banks 


four  bakeries,  four  boot  and  shoe  stores,  four 
barber  shops,  four  blacksmith  shops,  four 
butcher  shops,  one  brick  yard,  one  brewery, 
nine  boarding  and  eating  houses,  four  clothing 
stores,  five  dry  good  stores,  one  distillery,  four 
drug  stores,  one  foundrj',  two  flouring  mills, 
two  furniture  stores,  eleven  grocery  stores, 
eight  halls,  three  hardware  stores,  three  hotels, 
ten  large  ice  houses,  four  jeweler  stores,  two 
lumber  yards,  two  livery  stables,  four  milli- 
nery stores,  one  opera  house,  two  photograph 
galleries,  two  saw  mills,  three  saddle  and  har- 
ness shops,  one  scouring  and  dying  establish- 
ment, three  dealers  in  sewing  machines,  three 
stores  of  general  merchandise,  two  tinware 
and  stove  stores,  two  undertakers,  four  watch 
a;id  clockmakers,  one  sash  and  door  factory. 

There  are  also  the  shops  of  the  C.  B.  &  Q. 
railroad  located  here.  Two  railroad  depots, 
one  telephone  office,  having  also  connection 
with  the  city  of  Virginia,  13  miles  distant. 

Among  the  prominent  men,  now  resting 
among  the  dead,  who  whilst  living  her.', 
spent  much  of  their  time  and  means  for  pro- 
moting the  interests  of  Beardstown,  should  be 
mentioned:  Thomas  Beard,  Francis  Arenz, 
Thomas  and  John  Wilbourn,  Thomas  Gra- 
ham, Knapp  and  Pogue,  Thomas  and  Ed- 
ward Saunders,  B.  W.  Schneider,  Bassett  and 
Taylor. 

Some  of  these  honored  dead  have  loft  no 
children  or  near  relations  living  here  to  fur- 
nish a  narrative  of  their  lives,  and  a  short 
sketch  is  therefore  prepared  by  one  who  knew 
these  men  personally.  The  most  of  them 
were  doing  extensive  business  here  at  an 
early  day  in  Beardstown.  Messrs.  Knapp 
and  Poo-ue  occupied  the  front  rank  in  busi- 
ness affairs  at  the  time  when  Beardstown  be- 
came a  town,  and  when  that  firm  finally  failed 
in  business,  Mr.  Pogue  acted  as  justice  of  the 
peace,  until  his  death.  Mr.  Knapp  went  to 
New  Orleans.  The  firm  built  several  large 
business    establishments,  among   which    was 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


115 


(hat  capacious  storehouse  called  "  the  Great 
Western,"  none  of  which  buildings  are  now 
standing.  Messrs.  Thomas  and  John  Wil- 
bourn,  among  other  buildings,  erected  a  large 
mill,  which  afterwards  burned  down,  and 
upon  the  lot  where  it  stood,  Messrs.  Baujan 
&  Co.  erected  a  few  years  ago,  their  new  mill. 
Wilbourn  built  also  a  store  building  upon  the 
lot  upon  which  the  opera  house  now  stands. 
That  firm  dissolved,  and  Nolte  and  McCluie 
purchased  their  store  goods.  This  latter  firm 
moved  their  store  to  Main  street,  where  for 
many  years  they  transacted  a  very  large 
amount  of  business,  erected  several  sulistan- 
tial  buildings,  and  contributed  very  materially 
to  advance  the  interest  of  Beardstown. 

Thomas  Graham  was  a  native  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  where  his  father  was  a  promi- 
nent business  man.  He  came  here  at  an  early 
day,  and  for  several  years  kept  store.  His 
wife,  also  a  Philadelphia  lady,  brought  with 
her  a  piano,  which  was  the  first  and  only 
piano  for  several  years  in  this  part  of  the 
country.  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  and  re- 
versals in  business,  he  returned  to  Philadel- 
phia. 

Messrs.  Basset  &  Taylor  came  here  from 
Springfield  and  entered  into  the  forwarding 
and  commission  business,  dealing  also  in 
pork,  grain,  dry  goods,  groceries,  etc.,  for 
many  years.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Bassett 
Taylor  left  here. 

Thomas  and  Edward  Saunders  came  from 
Philadelphia  at  an  early  day.  They  were  en- 
gaged in  business  here  for  several  years. 
Thomas  R.  Saunders  was  Recorder  of  Cass 
County.  He  died  in  Beardstown,  leaving  a 
widow  and  several  children.  Edward  Saun- 
ders went  to  Chicago,  where  he  died  some 
years  ago. 

B.  W.  Schneider  came  to  Cass  County  in 
1834;  was  engaged  in  farming  near  Arenz- 
ville  for  several  years.  He  then  came  to 
Beardstown    and   purchai^ed   from    F.  Aenz 


his  store  on  Main  street,  which  he  occupied  as 
a  liquor  dealer  and  for  other  purposes.  He 
purchased  the  lot  of  ground  upon  which  the 
Opera  house  now  stands,  and  erected  a  large 
hotel,  which  was  carried  on  by  himself  and 
others,  called  the  "  Schneider  House."  He 
erected  also  other  houses,  but  none  of  those 
buildings  are  now  existing.  He  died  here, 
leaving  a  widow  and  several  children,  none 
of  whom  are  now  living  in  Beardstown. 

Mr.  Thomas  Beard  was  born  in  Granville, 
Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  in  1795,  from 
whence  his  father  moved  to  Burton,  Geauga 
County,  O.,  in  1800. 

Thomas  Beard  came  to  the  State  of  Illinois 
in  1818,  and  for  some  time  lived  about  Ed- 
wardsville  and  Alton,  where  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Enoch  March.  Then  he  came 
to  Beardstown  in  1820,  where  his  immediate 
neighbors,  for  a  considerable  time,  were  In- 
dians and  a  few  white  people.  He  established 
the  first  ferry  across  the  Illinois  river,  and 
obtained  a  license  therefor  from  the  County 
Commissioners'  Court  of  Schuyler  County,  in 
1826.  In  1827  he,  with  Enoch  March,  a  man 
of  means,  entered  the  land  upon  which  Beards- 
town is  located,  and  in  1829  the  original 
town  of  Beardstown  was  laid  out,  platted  and 
recorded;  and  several  additions  were  made 
t    the  town  afterward. 

Mr.  Beard  was  tveice  married.  His  first 
wife  was  Sarah  Bell,  by  whom  he  had  three 
children,  of  which  only  one  is  now  living,  in 
Nebraska.  This  marriage  proved  unhappy, 
and  after  his  wife  left  him,  a  divoice  was  ob- 
tained in  1835,  Mr.  Beard  retaining  the  chil- 
dren. Some  years  afterward  he  married  a 
widow  Dickerman,  who  had  an  only  son,  Wil- 
lard  A.  Dickerman,  who  afterward  became 
Colonel  of  the  103d  Illinois  Regiment,  and  fell 
in  battle  near  Atlanta,  Georgia,  in  the  war 
for  suppressing  the  Rebellion. 

With  his  second  wife,  a  lady  of  the  mosst 
amiable  and  excellent  character,  esteemed  by 


116 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


every  one,  he  had  three  children,  of  whom  two 
are  now  living.  Mr.  Beard  died  here  in  No- 
vember, IS  i9. 

Mr.  Beard,  although  he  had  not  the  advan- 
tages of  a  superior  education,  neve  theless 
was  a  man  who  had  educated  himself  to  such 
degree  that  he  could  get  along  very  well  in 
ordinary  business  matters.  For  industry,  lib- 
erality, kindness  and  honesty,  he  had  no 
superior. 

The  widow  of  Mr.  Board  resides  now  in 
New  York  city,  with  her  married  daughter,  a 
Mrs.  Doane. 

Mr.  Horace  Billings  was  a  native  of  the 
State  of  Vermont,  and  came  to  Boardstown  in 
the  year  1843.  Having  been  engaged  in 
business  in  New  York,  Canada,  and  other 
places,  he  dashed  into  business  hei-e  at  once. 
There  was  nothing  salable  or  purchasable 
in  which  he  did  not  trade.  Trading  and 
speculating  seemed  to  be  his  element.  He 
was  very  quick  of  perception  and  in  deciding 
the  course  to  pursue,  and  there  was  no  enter- 
prise in  or  about  Beardstown  wherein  Mr. 
Billings  had  not  a  leadi^^  hand.  Sometimes 
he  would  miss  his  aim  and  sustain  a  loss, 
which,  however,  he  bore  like  a  true  philoso- 
pher, neither  lamenting  nor  fretting;  but  he 
generally  succeeded,  and  his  pork  and  grain 
speculations  at  times  brought  him  very  large 
returns,  which  he  again  applied  to  the  exten- 
sion of  his  business,  and  new  enterprises.  No 
one  man  has  done  more  to  build  up  the  town 
and  put  it  on  the  track  to  future  prosperity 
than  Mr.  Billings.  Among  the  many  build- 
insrs  he  erected,  the  Park  House  is  one.  Some 
of  these  buildings  are  now  standing,  and  some 
were  consumed  by  fire.  His  energy  was  also 
directed  to  discover  new  channels  for  employ- 
ment and  traffic,  and  he  added  much  to  increase 
the  population  of  Beardstown  by  inducing 
skillful  mechanics  and  business  men  to  settle 
here.  Mr.  Billings  was  a  very  good  citizen, 
strictly  temperate  in  his  habits,  using  neither 


strong  drinks  nor  tobacco.  He  was  a  highly 
valued  member  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
to  which  he  contributed  very  liberally. 

Mr.  Billings  married  twice.  His  first  wife, 
a  very  estimable  lady,  from  New  York,  with 
whom  he  had  two  daughters,  died  here.  His 
second  wife,  a  very  highly  educated  and  very 
worthy  lady,  he  married  here,  with  whom  he 
had  one  daughter. 

When  advanced  age  prevented  Mr.  Bill- 
ings from  active  business  engagements,  he 
took  up  his  place  of  residence  in  Jacksonville, 
in  1867,  where  he  died  in  1870. 

Henry  E.  Dummer  came  to  Beardstown 
about  the  year  1812,  after  he  had  resided  in 
Springfield  and  Jacksonville  before,  and  was 
the  first,  and  for  several  years  the  only  attor- 
ney-at-law,  and  his  influence  and  counsel  has 
been  of  very  material  benefit  to  the  citizens 
of  Beardstown.  Very  amiable  and  kind  in 
disposition,  and  reliable  in  his  counsel,  he 
enjoyed  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all  classes. 
Although  a  man  of  law,  he  never  encouraged, 
instigated  or  favored  litigation,  and  always 
advised  amicable  settlements  and  comprom- 
ises, if  possible;  but  when  a  case  was  carried 
through  court  he  advocated  faithfully  and 
skillfully  the  interests  of  his  client.  He  was 
very  moderate  in  his  charges,  and  felt  more 
disposed  to  render  services  to  his  fellow  men 
than  to  make  money.  In  Beardstown  he 
married  Miss  Phebe  Van  Ness,  a  very  worthy 
young  lady,  which  marriage  proved  to  be  a 
very  happy  event  for  both. 

Mr.  Dummer  made  himself  useful  when 
and  wherever  his  fellow  citizens  desired  his 
services.  He  served  in  the  town  and  school 
board,  as  Alderman,  City  Attorney,  Judge  of 
Probate,  member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention, State  Senator,  and  other  offices,  all  of 
which  he  filled  with  honor,  and  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  people.  He  joined  the  church 
here,  and  became  a  sincere,  true  Christian. 
In  1805    Mr.  Dummer   removed    to  Jackson- 


ef^/yn.£^^^ 


e^ 


I 


IIISTUIIY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 


lUl 


ville,  whore  he  at  once  ohtainoil  a  lucrative 
practice  until  the  time  of  his  death,  about  two 
years  ago.  He  left  a  widow,  two  sons,  and 
three  daughters.  As  a  lawyer  he  occupied 
the  front  rank,  and  as  a  citizen  he  had  no 
siipc  lior.  His  memory  will  live  in  the  hearts 
of  his  many  friends  until  they  also  moldor  in 
their  graves. 

War  Record. — The  following  comprises 
the  names  of  the  persons,  who  entered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States  from  Beards- 
town  and  Piecinct,  for  the  suppression  of  the 
late  Rebellion: 

Third  Regiment  of  Illinois  Cavalry,  Com- 
pany C:  Captain,  Charles  P.  Dunbaugh; 
Adjutants,  .1.  S.  Crow  and  Theodore  Lelland; 
Lieutenant,  August  Tilford;  Q.  M.  Sergeant, 
Burr  Sanders;  Sergeant,  Norman  Parsons; 
Corporals,  M.  Richards,  C.  E.  Burns,  James 
Nason. 

Privates:  Joseph  Anderson,  Charles  Box- 
nieier,  William  Boxmeier,  Robert  Bailey, 
Thomas  M.  Cuppy,  William  H.  Chamljlin, 
Charles  Coleman,  Martin  Finney,  Daniel 
Grant,  Adam  Gruling,  Josiah  jMcCandlesS) 
John  Minick,  William  Nicholson,  W.  H.  Per- 
cival,  Horatio  G.  Rew,  jr.,  John  G.  Reeves, 
George  Spicker,  H.  C.  Simpson,  George  Wag- 
ner, William  Wells,  Joseph  Barwick,  John  H. 
Beadles,  John  Hatfield,  John  Miller,  Martin 
Tread  way. 

Recruits:  Aaron  Abney,  Henry  Coleman, 
George  Chamblin,  William  De  Haven,  David 
Griffin,  William  Snow,  George  W.  Snow,  John 
R.  Stephens,  Henry  Sturtevant,  David  A  TuU, 
David  H.  Wells. 

Thirty-second  Illino's  Regiment,  Co.  G.: 
First  Lieutenant,  Charles  A.  Eames;  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant,  William  Hitchcock,  and  mu- 
sician, William  J.  Center. 

Privates:  John  Beals,  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  Co.  E,  Sixty-first  111.;  Melvin  Burk, 
Thomas  Barry,  Thomas  Bird,  James  Burns, 
Edward  Cottrell,  David  Connell,  Thomas  Dar- 


kin,  Samuel  DeHaven,  Hugh  Donnelly,  Ben- 
jamin Eyres,  John  Fitzpatrick,  John  Flani- 
gan,  Andrew  Gemming,  Peter  Grime,  .John 
Haven,  .Tames  Harrell,  William  Hugo,  Anton 
Hoffman,  John  B.  Looman,  William  McDow- 
ell, George  Swan,  Jnhn  Triliey,  Setli  Thom[>- 
soii. 

Thirty-third  Illinois  Regiment,  Company  K. 
Captain,  Charles  E.  Lippincott  (promoted 
Colonel);  Quarter-master  of  Regiment,  R.  B. 
Fulks. 

Com]iany  Officers:  Captain,  E.  H.  Twining; 
1st  Leiutenant,  J.  H.  Schuler;  2nd  Lieuten- 
ant, W.  H.  Weaver;  1st  Sergeant,  H.  P. 
Grund. 

Privates:  Herman  Bohne,  George  Boem- 
ler,  J.  H.  Betz,  Moses  M.  Dowler,Thoinas  Eyre, 
George  French,  Conrad  Hendrickcr,  George 
C.  Kuhl,  George  S.  Kuhl,  John  Lauler,  R. 
F.  Lasley,  David  Matson,  Charles  Ojten, 
William  Paterson,  Louis  Benz,  Joseph  Sis- 
sick. 

Recruits:  Edwin  Carman,  David  J.  Curry, 
Thomas  Foxvvorthy,  Josiah  Hawkenberry, 
John  Hawkenberry,  George  Hucke,  Samuel 
Lyon,  John  Orr,  Ab.  Shoemaker. 

F»)rty-seventh  Illinois  Regiment,  Company 
F. — Privates — A.  F.  Cottrel,  Benjamin  Harris, 
Dewitt  McCandles,  Thomas  Paschal,  Wood- 
ford Sills. 

One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  Illinois  Regi- 
ment. Major,  Joseph  M.  McLane;  Second 
Lieutenant,  Albert  McClure. 

Sergeants:  Norman  Hitchcock  (promoted 
First  Lieutenant,  Company  K.  71  U.  S.  col- 
ored), Frederick  Haid,  Joseph  Milton  Mc- 
Lane. 

Corporals:  Joseph  Wright,  John  Mar- 
shall, Joseph  Riifer,  Christ.  Pilger. 

Captains:  Richard  B.  Adams,  A.  D.  Ad- 
kins,  John  Anderson. 

Privates:  Louis  Boemler,  M.  L.  Brown, 
J.  M.  Cafferberger,  William  F.  Crow,  F.  M. 
Davis,  Asa  Dean,  Pet(»r  Douglas,  Ezra  Fish, 


120 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COHNTY. 


(promoted  First  Lieutenant  Company  K.),  R. 
F.  Kippenberg,  C  E.  Lawson,  Kiley  McLane, 
Robert  McCarty. 

Eleventh  Illinois  Regiment:  Luther  J. 
Main,  Thomas  Millei-,  Asa  N.  Paschall  (died  in 
Anderson  ville,  Aug.  20,  1SG4),  Zach.  Taylor, 
Geo.  F.  Unland,  John  T.Webb,  Henry  Weber, 
John  Worm,  John  H.  Wedeking,  Thomas  H. 
Williams,  Joiia  Kleinsteuber,  .John  Davis, 
John  Truebswasser  (died  at  Mound  Uity  hospi- 
tal). 

Recruits:  Charles  Boekemeier,  Henry 
Fredenberg,  Win.  Meizer,  Piiilip  Smith. 

Second  Illinois  Battery  :  Lieutenants, 
Hoyer,  Adolf  Geils. 

United  States  Navy:     C.  H.  Gulick. 

One  Hundred  and  Forty-filth  Illinois 
Regiment — 100   day  men: 

Captain, W.  H. Weaver;  Second  Lieutenant, 
Ebenezer  Fish;  Sergeants, William  De  Haven, 
Edwin  C.  Foster;  Corporals,  James  Caldwell, 
James  A.  Lindsay,  William  McClure,  Edward 
Logan,  Samuel  Webb,  Clinton  Garrison,  J. 
B.  Sanders. 

Privates:  Abraham  Black,  Randall  Block, 
Louis  Cowan,  Allen  Cunningham,  Thomas 
Cowan,  David  Clendcnin,  Ernest  Corte,  J.  W. 
Chase,  Charles  Dunbaugh,  Thomas  J.  De 
Haven,  John  S.  Fulks,  James  Griffin,  J.  W. 
Hamilton,  Guilford  Judd,  H.  Livingston,  H.  C. 
McLane,  George  McDonnel,  William  Mayer, 
Henry  C.  Milnor,  James  H.  Mathews,  A.  J. 
Norton,  Rudolph  Oliver. 

One  Hundred  and  Forty-Fifth  Illinois  Reg- 
iment. Privates:  Frank  Paterson,  W.  C.  Rew, 
S.  W.  Robinson,  William  Roach,  J.  H.  Rose,  L. 
O.  Spangler,  Charles  Schneider,  Louis  Ware, 
Eason  White,  Willis  White,  Christ.  Mertz. 

Third  Illinois  Cavalry,  Company  I.  Ben- 
jamin F.  Barron,  Casper  Coleman,  James 
A.  Geer,  Warren  H.  Monett,  Joshua  Mibb, 
George  Olden,  William  Ruff,  William  Rhodes, 
David  Schrader,  J.  L.  Wolford,  Peter  T.  ^Vol- 
ford. 


Second  Illinois  Cavalry.  Private  :  F.  Ab- 
bott. 

Twelfth  Regiment,  Illinois  Infantry.  Com- 
pany A:  Thomas  Bern  hard,  Martin  Gott- 
lieb. 

Eighteenth  Regiment  Illinois  Infantry. 
Company  G:  Sergeant,  George  Rauch;  Cor- 
porals, Jas  L.  Black,  W.  O.  Willis. 

Privates:  Andrew  Blattncr,  Henry  Brocker, 
Peter  Flanery,  Fred  Holden,  Thomas  Har- 
mel,  .Joseph  H-'ine,  Henry  Knoess,  Henry 
I^ynn,  A' lam  La  fie,  Hugh  Lyden,  William 
Meyer,  George  J.  MeD.tirel,  F.  K.  Shever, 
George  Taylor. 

Eighty-second  Illinois  Regiment,  Company 
E:  Corporal,  Simon  Benz. 

Privates:  Anton  Bihl,  Charles  BoeKe- 
meier,  .John  Hieg,  August  Petri,  William 
Ram,  Anton  Seller,  Philip  Schmidt. 

Fourteenth  Regiment  Illinois  Infantry, 
Company  A:  Major,  J.  F.  Nolte;  Captain, 
Thomas  M.  Thompson;  Captain,  Charles 
Opitz;  1st  Lieutenant,  Henry  Rodecker; 
and  Augustine  Snow;  2nd  Lieutenant,  Da- 
vid S.  Finney;  Sergeant,  Eben  H.  Richard- 
son; Corporals,  Ed.  E.  Foster,  Charles  H. 
Harris,  W.  H.  Dutch,  David  Carr. 

Privates:  William  Armstro'ig,  Ijester 
Beals,  Amos  Burkhardt,  Alonzo  Buck,  George 
Cummings,  Ernest  Corte,  August  ChristianiM-, 
Joseph  Ewing,  Joseph  Heine,  John  Hess,  Jo- 
seph Huber,  Caleb  James,  Edward  Knight, 
Christian  Kuhl,  Thomas  Lincoln,  Abner  Liver- 
more,  Dexter  Loomis,  Charles  Luecking, 
Archibald  McConnel,  John  S.  Morgan, 
William.  C.  Marrow. 

Company  G:  Conrad  Meyres. 

Company  A:  Wm.  Nelson,  Charles  Nickel, 
Andrew  J.  Norton,  Lester  J.  Parmenter, 
William  H.  Parson,  Henry  C.  Pheljis,  Reu- 
ben B.  Pool,  George  M.  Rhineberger,  Will- 
iam Roach,  Abraham  J.  Saylor,  Christian 
Schramm,  William  Snow,  William  Sales. 

Company  G:  William  Stauf, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


121 


Company  A:  George  H.  Tracy,  William 
Wisbey,  Charles  Williams. 

Recruits:  Charles  Burrows,  Henry  C. 
Brown,  James  M.  Ewing,  Martin  Finney, 
James  S.  McLin,  George  H.  Parmenter,  John 
W.  Richardson,  Henry  Roach,  Alonzo  Snow, 
John  F.  Switzer,  Louis  Weaver,  Benjamin 
Wood. 

Sixty-first  Regiment  of  Illinois  Infantry, 
Company  E.  Privates:  Edward  W.  Ellkin, 
John  W.  Glover,  Anthony  Hill,  Daniel  Row- 
ley, William  A.  Squires,  George  W.  San- 
ders, Nicholas  Shoopman,   Jacob   O.  Wells, 


Madison  Woods,  Alpheus  Wells,  Asa  F.  Win- 
free. 

Recruits:  John  C.  Menkel,  John  McCor- 
mick,  Peter  Baxton,  Walter  Beals,  Daniel  B. 
Grant,  William  T.  Melton,  Charles  Meyer, 
George  T.  Ruby,  George  L.  Stone,  George 
W.  Shoopman,  John  H.  Shoopman,  Frederick 
Schnitker,  Jacob  Trommen. 

The  names  of  the  persons  serving  during 
this  war  in  the  United  States  army,  from  the 
adjoining  precincts  of  Arenzville,  Indian 
Creek,  Hickory  and  Monroe,  are  not  herein 
given. 


122 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XII.* 

CHANDLERVILLE  PRECIlSrCT-TOPOGRAPHICAL  FEATURES-PIONEER-TIMES-EARLY  FAM- 
ILIES-EDUCATIONAL—SOCIETIES-MILLS-VILLAGE  OF   CHANDLERVILLE. 


"  Ye  pioneers,  it,  is  to  you 
The  tieht  of  gnuituJe  is  due; 
Ye  builded  wiser  than  ye  knew 

The  broad  foundation 
On  wliicli  our  superstructure  stands  ; 
Your  strong  right  arms  and  willing  hands, 
Your  earnest  efforts  still  command 
Our  veneration." 

pHANDLEKVILLE  Precinct  lies  on  the 
y^  sotitheni  side  of  Sangamon  river,  where 
a  broad  strip  of  bottom  land,  varying  from 
one  to  two  miles  in  width,  forms  the  entire 
northern  boundary  of  the  precinct.  This 
bottom  land  is,  no  doubt,  the  richest  soil  in 
the  county,  for  the  Sangamon  river  may  be 
called  the  Nile  of  America,  for  it  annually 
overflows,  adding  new  deposits  to  the  present 
richness  of  the  soil. 

Where  the  bottom  lands  terminate  inland, 
a  series  of  very  high  hills  tower  in  natural 
majesty  above  the  surrounding  country,  ap- 
pearing at  a  distance  like  a  range  of  moun- 
tains. These  hills  are  now  mostly  overgrown 
with  scrubby  timber  and  dense  underbrush, 
but  in  the  memory  of  some  of  the  old  settlers, 
not  a  twig  or  tree  could  be  seen  over  the 
broad  surface  of  this  elevated  height.  The 
Indians  annually  burning  off  the  prairies,  the 
fire  would  sweep  over  the  hills,  destroyino- 
the  young  timber  that  had  started  during  the 
year.  The  oldest  settlers  say  that  at  the 
present  time  there  is  five  times  as  much  tim- 
ber in  this  part  of  the  county  as  there  was 
when  they  first  settled  in  the  country. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  many  beauti- 


*By  J.  L.  Nichols. 


fill  groves  clustering  at  the  foot  of  these  hills, 
where  many  fine  residences  and  beautiful 
gardens  peep  out  amid  their  inviting  foliage. 
There  is  considerable  good  timber  on  the 
banks  of  the  Sangamon,  along  the  bottoms  of 
Big  and  Little  Panther  creeks,  and  along  the 
valleys  whiding  among  the  hills.  The  kinds 
of  wood  that  grow  native,  are  oak,  maple,  elm, 
sycamore,  walnut,  hickory,  pecan,  persimmon, 
and  paw-paw.  On  the  low  grounds  in  early 
days  the  grass  grew  very  tall,  reaching  to  a 
man's  waist  on  horseback,  and  the'  grass  on 
the  hills  grew  much  higher  and  thicker  than 
it  does  at  the  present  day.  Game  at  that 
time  was  very  plenty.  Wild  turkeys  and 
prairie  chickens  were  witliout  nutnber;  deer, 
wolves  and  raccoons  were  very  nuinerous, 
and  an  occasional  panther  and  lynx  wandered 
through.  All  the  game  that  is  left  now  that 
in  any  way  can  interest  the  sportsman,  are 
wild  ducks,  which  yet  continue  to  visit  the 
Sangamon  Bottoms  when  overflowed,  in  great 
numbers,  hunters  of  ordinary  skill  killing 
from  80  to  100  ducks  per  day,  50  being  con- 
sidered a  very  poor  day's  work  during  the 
duck  season. 

The  Pottawatomie  Indians  lived  here  till 
the  year  1835,  but  they  were  of  a  very  friendly 
character,  and  never  molested  in  any  way  the 
peace  and  prosperity  of  the  settlers.  The 
precinct  back  from  the  hills  is  considerably 
rough  and  broken,  and  a  large  portion  of  that 
land  was  sold  for  25c.  per  acre;  the  United 
States  giving  it  to  the  State,  and  \he  State  in 
turn  gave  it  to  the  county,  and  the  county 
sold  it  to  the  settlers  at  the  above  rate;  much 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY: 


123 


oTthat  land,  however,  at  the  [iresent  time  is 
worth  from  8-5  o  $40  per  acre.  There  was 
governmeat  land  in  this  precinct  as  late  as 
1856.  The  precinct  at  first  was  mostly  settled 
by  Sjuthern  people,  and  very  few  other  'a:iii- 
lies  cime  till  about  1832,  except  a  few  Yan- 
kee peddlers,  who  occasionally  visited  the 
settlement. 

Who  the  first  settlers  were  the  writer  finds 
some  difficulty  in  ascertaining.  Robert  Leep- 
er,  James  and  Elijah  Garner,  William  Myres, 
Tnomas  Plasters,  Ma  k  Cooper  and  Dr. 
Chandler,  were  probably  among  the  first. 

The  settlers  here,  as  in  other  new  countries, 
came  very  poor.  They  lived  in  log  cabins, 
many  of  them  without  floors  or  windows, 
using  greased  paper  for  the  latter,  and  what 
little  grain  they  raised  had  to  be  hauled  to 
Beardstown  and  sold  at  a  nominal  price,  and, 
there  being  no  bridges  at  the  time,  it  was 
often  a  difficult  and  dangerous  journey. 

The  first  bridge  that  was  built  was  across 
Panther  Creek,  in  1838,  just  south  of  the  vil- 
lage. A  bridge  was  built  by  a  Mr.  Stindy 
across  the  Sangamon,  but  being  so  poorly 
framed  and  constructed,  it  gradually  sunk, 
broke  and  separated  by  its  own  weight.  It 
was  re-built  by  Samuel  Cook,  of  Chandlerville, 
in  1874,  and  is  a  permanent  structure  that 
will  stand  till  its  timbers  decay.  It  braved 
the  torrent  of  1882  without  yielding  a  timber, 
or  the  fragment  of  one.  This  bridge  is  a 
great  benefit  to  the  village  of  Chandlerville, 
as  it  brings  a  large  proportion  of  trade  from 
Mason  County. 

The  first  school  taught  within  the  present 
limits  of  the  precinct,  was  the  one  taught  by 
Mrs.  Ingalls,  given  in  the  village  history 
below  ;  the  second  that  the  pioneer  families 
patronized,  was  located  about  two  and  a 
half  miles  northeast  of  Chandlerville,  on 
the  land  now  owned  by  Moses  Harlinson. 
Mr.  Martin  Morgan  taught  the  first  school, 
and    the    following   wore    some  of  his    schol- 


ars: John  Hash,  James  Dick,  and  his 
sister  Sallie,  and  the  children  of  the  My- 
res family.  The  school-house  was  built  by 
the  charity  and  energy  of  Robert  Leeper,  and 
as  a  pioneer  he  deserves  the  highest  en- 
comium. There  are  now  five  district  schools 
in  the  precinct ;  they  are  respectively  known 
as  the  Levi  Spring  School,  Brick  School,  John 
Way  School,  German  School,  and  the  Wil- 
son School.  The  schools  are  well  attended, 
and  teachers  are  paid  a  salary,  varying  from 
$25  to  $50  per  month,  according  to  the 
qualification  and  experience  of  the  teacher. 

The  first  saw  and  grist  mill  was  built  in 
1828,  on  Panther  creek,  by  A.  S.  West  and 
William  Morgan,  Mr.  Z.  Hash  getting  out 
most  of  the  timber  for  the  mill.  Robert 
Leeper  subsequently  bought  the  mill  and  run 
it  for  several  years,  when  it  was  carried  down 
stream  by  extraordinary  high  water.  The 
second  mill  was  built  by  Richard  McDonald, 
one-half  mile  above  Mr.  Leeper's  mill,  on  the 
same  stream,  and  shortly  after  the  building 
of  the  McDonald  mill,  Henry  L.  Ingalls  built 
a  mill  about  one-half  mile  below  Mr.  Leeper's 
mill.  There  were  then  three  mills  within  one 
and  a  half  miles  of  each  other.  Their  princi- 
pal business  was  sawing,  but  they  also 
cracked  corn.  These  two  latter  mills  were 
also  swept  down  stream,  leaving  scarcely  a 
trace  of  their  former  existence.  Panther 
creek  was  subject  to  a  very  sudden  rise  of 
water,  and  it  came  in  such  torrents  as  to 
sweep  every  thing  before  it.  There  are  no 
mills  on  that  stream  at  the  present  day.  It 
does  not  run  more  than  six  months  of  the 
year  in  ordinary  seasons,  and  could  not  in  any 
way  be  considered  a  stream  that  would  support 
the  power  for  a  mill  of  the  smallest  character, 
except  in  these  extraordinary  torrents  that 
spare  neither  roads,  bridges,  or  railroads. 

The  first  road  that  received  any  degree  of 
travel  was  called  the  Bottom  Road  to  Beards- 
town.     This  was   a    winding   route    over  the 


124 


HISTORY  OF  UASS  COUNTY. 


most  elevated  portions  of  the  bottom,  as  the 
low  places  were  often  marshy  and  very  diffi- 
cult to  cross.  On  the  ridge  formed  in  the 
middle  ot  this  road  by  the  horses  and  oxen 
wearing  out  foot-paths,  as  is  often  seen  now 
on  our  prairie  roads,  there  used  to  grow  and 
flourish  some  of  the  finest  wild  strawberries 
that  were  produced  on  the  bottoms.  They 
looked  like  a  row  of  cultivated  fruit,  and  in 
their  season  were  truly  an  inviting  curiosity. 
Travelers  that  came  during  that  time  can 
never  forget  the  richness  and  beauty  of  those 
almost  endless  rows  of  native  berries.  Wild 
fruit  was  very  common  here  in  an  early  day. 
Plums,  persimmons,  raspberries,  blackberries, 
and  strawberries  were  very  plentiful  and 
much  more  numerous  than  at  the  present  day. 
It  was  all  the  change  the  early  settlers  had 
from  coarse  bread  and  pork,  as  but  very  little 
sugar  or  dried  fruits  could  be  afforded  or  in- 
dulged in,  in  those  days  of  pioneer  economy. 
The  wild  land  has  all  been  subdued  or 
turned  into  fine  pastures.  Beautiful  homes 
and  cultivated  fields  smile  all  over  the  pre- 
cinct. The  farmers  have  improved  their  stock) 
and  some  of  the  finest  horses,  hogs,  and  cattle 
that  the  State  produces  are  raised  in  this  part 
of  the  county. 

CHANDLEEVILLE.* 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1832,  a  colony  from 
Rhode  Island  were  about  to  leave  their  native 
hills  and  seek  homes  in  the  distant  wilderness 
of  the  West.  But  the  members  of  the  colony 
hearing  of  so  many  Indian  massacres  in  the 
Western  States,  there  was  but  one  of  the 
party  that  dare  venture  and  carry  out  the  or- 
iginal design;  that  man  was  Dr.  Chas.  Chand- 
ler. While  coming  up  the  Illinois  river  with 
his   wife  and  little  daughter  Jane,  now  Mrs. 


*The  writer,  having  found  some  matters  particularly  ap- 
propriate to  Chandlorville,  in  the  oration  delivered  in  lS7fi, 
liy  Hon.  J.  H.  Shaw,  he  has  taken  the  liberty  of  incorporat- 
ing them  in  this  article. 


Shaw,  and  hearing  of  the  Indian  troubles  at 
Ft.  Clark,  since  called  Peoria,  the  place  of 
destination,  they  concluded  to  go  no  further, 
and  consequently  landed  at  Beardstown. 
While  there  Dr.  Chandler  took  a  ride  up  the 
Sangamon  bottom  with  Thomas  Beard,  and 
was  so  charmed  by  the  lay  of  the  land  and 
richness  of  the  soil,  and  the  thrift  of  vegeta- 
tion, that  he  determined  at  once  to  make  a 
settlement,  and  immediately  entered  160  acres 
of  land  where  Chandlerville  now  stands,  and 
before  the  summer  of  his  first  arrival  had  passed 
he  had  built  a  comfortable  log  cabin  and  found 
a  crop  of  buckwheat  blossoming  at  his  door. 
His  cabin  was  erected  on  the  spot  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Congregational  Church,  and  his 
plow  was  the  first  that  stirred  the  native  soil 
within  the  limits  of  the  village.  He  was  a 
man  of  untiring  industry,  and  began  at  once 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  performing 
wonders  in  the  healing  art,  and  prodigies  of 
toil,  often  riding  seventy  or  eighty  miles, 
and  not  unfrequontly  one  hundred  per  day. 
His  practice  extended  over  what  is  now  known 
as  Cass,  Morgan,  Brown,  Schuyler,  Sanga- 
mon, Menard,  Mason,  and  Fulton  Counties.  In 
December,  18313,  the  humble  cabin  received  a 
brother  of  the  Doctor,  Marcus  Chandler,  wife 
and  only  son  Knowlton,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Ingalls.  In  1831,  Squire  Bonney  and 
family,  with  a  nephew,  Geo.  Bonney,  also  Mr. 
Hicks  and  family,  were  added  to  ihe  colony. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  early  in  1835  organ- 
ized through  the  united  efforts  of  Mrs. 
Marcus  Chandler,  Mrs.  H.  S.  Ingalls,  and  Mr. 
Robert  Leper,  which  was  well  attended  and 
did  much  good. 

The  Sabbath  school  was  held  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Mrs.  Ingalls,  and  may  be  said  to  be 
the  first  religious  assembly  ever  held  in  the 
community. 

The  settlers  at  this  time  marketed  all  their 
grain  and  farm  produce  at  Beardstown,  and 
purchased  all   the   necessary    articles    within 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUSTY. 


their  means  that  their  families  and  farms  wore 
most  sorioiisly  in  need  of;  also  most  of  their 
ro]iairing  was  done  there. 

(^In  ISoi  or  '35  Dr.  Chandler  built  a  li'ack- 
sraith-shop.  and  the  year  following  built  the 
first  storejwhere  now  Mr.  Pilcher's  place  of 
business  stands.  Dr.  Chandler  did  not  do 
this  so  much  as  a  business  speculation  and  to 
make  money,  as  he  did  to  benefit  and  acoom- 
moilate  the  settlers,  many  of  them  having 
nothing  but  ox-teams,  and  a  journey  to  Beards- 
town  was  not  at  all  a  desirable  trip,  or  one 
that  many  of  our  farmers  desire  to-day  with 
all  our  modern  improvements. 

Dr.  Chandler  continued  in  business  about 
two  years,  when  he  closed  out  his  stock  to  C  J. 
Newberry,  who  was  shortly  after  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Chase,  and  he, alter  continuingbusiness  for 
several  years,  was  bought  out  bylDr.  Chandler 
and  his  brother  Marcus.)  They  V  did  a  very 
flourishing  and  extensive  business,  and  in 
connection  with  their  general  ;  they  bought 
and  packed  pork,  putting  up  about  three 
thousand  hogs  annually  for  many  years  in 
succession."^  In  1849,  the  two  prosperous 
brothers  met  with  the  misfortune  of  having 
their  store  burned  down,  and  their  stock 
liadly  damaged,  but  the  store  was  quickly  re- 
built, and  their  former  business  re-established. 
(At  one  time  they  had  about  four  hundred 
uushels  of  pecan  nuts,  for  which  they  paid 
one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  bushel,  and 
shipped  the  same  to  St.  Louis,  and  sold  them 
for  three  dollars  per  bushel.')  In  1850,  Dr. 
Chandler  and  his  brother  sold  their  entire 
business  to  William  Way,  who  has  been  in 
business,  and  witnessed  the  prosperity  of  the 
vdlage  from  that  time  to  the  present. 

The  early  growth  of  the  village  was  not 
rapid,  for  in  1848  there  were  but  the  following 
families  within  its  limits:  Dr.  Chandler,  Rev. 
S.  Smith,  O.  Hicks,  .1.  B.  Shaw,  Elisba  Olcutt, 
D.  Marcy,  Levi  McKee,  H.  L.  lugalls.  Widow 
Harbeson  and  Mr.  Chase. 


The  mail  at  this  time  was  brought  from 
Beardstown  by  the  little  sons  of  Dr.  Chandler, 
and  distributed  at  his  place  of  business,  he 
being  the  regular  appointed  postmaster,  and 
assisted  by  Mr.  Shaw,  then  a  clerk  in  the 
store.  The  post  office  was  known  as  Panther 
Creek  till  1851,  when  Gen.  C.  E.  Lippincott 
wrote  to  Col.  E.  D.  Baker,*  then  member  of 
Congress,  and  had  the  name  of  the  office 
changed  to  Chandlerville. 

A  cooper  shop  was  started  about  this  time, 
also  a  wagon  shop.  The  latter  business  was 
one  of  the  most  successful  enterprises  of  the 
settlement,  Levi  McKee  being  the  proprietor. 
And  the  McKee  wagons  were  known  all  over 
the  country  as  the  most  durable  and  best 
made  wagons  of  the  county.  Dwight  Marcy 
in  1849,  kept  the  first  hotel  just  north  of 
Panther  creek,  on  the  land  now  owned  by 
Gen.  Lippincott,  where  he  continued  business 
till  the  present  hotel  was  converted  from  a 
■warehouse  into  a  hotel,  being  built  by  Dr. 
Chandler,  and  used  for  a  general  house  of 
storage,  etc.,  while  he  continued  in    business. 

In  1850,  Mr.  Olcutt,  who  had  for  several 
years  been  a  clerk  for  Dr.  Chandler,  built  a 
store  and  warehouse  in  company  with  Mr. 
Sanders,  where  a  thriving  business  for  several 
years  was  carried  on.  The  firm  dealt  largely 
in  wheat,  hogs,  tallow,  &c.  In  1854,  Dr. 
Reed  and  T.  N.  Canfield  built  the  first  regu- 
lar drug  store,  drugs  having  been  kept  and 
sold  by  the  other  stores  many  years  previous, 
but  no  separate  store  had  been  built  before  for 
thatspecial  purpose.  The  building  was  erected 
in  the  western  part  of  Dr.  Reed's  present  lot, 
and  long  since  has  been  removed.  This  store 
was  a  very  attractive  place  of  business  for 
many  years.  Dr.  Reed  had  an  extensive  prac- 
tice, and  like  Dr.  Chandler,  not  unfrequently 
traveling  100  miles  a  day  to  visit  a  patient. 
( There  was  an  unusual    custom   among  the 

«  Who  was  kiUed  at  Ball's  Bluffs. 


126 


HISTOUY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


settlers  that  every  man  should  be  entitled  to 
eighty  acres  of  land  on  each  side  of  his  first 
entry  as  soon  as  he  could  pay  for  it  at  govern- 
ment price,  $1.25  per  acre.  And  it  was  con- 
sidered as  mean  as  stealing  for  another  man 
to  violate  this  established  custom  of  the  set- 
tlers. Shortly  after  Dr.  Chandler  settled  here, 
a  man  by  the  name  of  English  came  to  the 
settlement  and  was  much  pleased  with  the 
country.  The  Doctor  assisted  and  befriended 
him  all  he  could,  and  offered  to  give  up  a 
a  claim  to  one  eighty  to  induce  him  to  stay, 
but  English,  hog-like,  told  him  that  he  was 
going  to  Springfield  and  enter  the  whole 
tract  adjoining  ;  that  he  did  not  care  for  the 
customs  of  the  country,  and  that  he  was  go- 
ing to  have  it  right  or  wrong,  and  started  at 
once  for  Springfield.  The  Doctor  went  to  his 
cabin,  counted  his  money,  and  found  only 
fifty  dollars.  The  deficit  was  made  up  through 
the  kindness  of  his  neighbor,  McAuly.  Thus 
provided,  he  started  at  once  for  the  State  cap- 
ital with  the  determination  of  beating  Eng- 
lish if  possible.  He  took  a  different  route 
through  the  woods  and  prairies  from  that 
chosen  by  his  greedy  friend.  When  about 
ten  miles  from  the  land  office,  he  overtook  two 
young  men  on  horseback,  and  his  horse  foam- 
ing in  perspiration  was  about  tired  out ;  and 
•while  riding  along  with  these  young  men,  he 
related  to  them  the  cause  ot  his  haste,  when  one 
of  them,  the  tallest  of  the  two,  was  so  indignant 
that  he  offered  the  Doctor  his  own  horse,  which 
■was  comparatively  fresh,  so  that  he  might 
defeat  the  plans  of  English;  but  the  Doc- 
tor declined  the  courtesy,  got  there  on  his 
own  horse,  and  entered  his  land  before  his 
rival  got  to  the  city  of  Springfield.  Some- 
time after  Dr.  Chandler  wanted  his  land  sur- 
veyed, and  sent  for  a  young  surveyer  who 
lived  at  Salem,  Sangamon  county,  and  when 
he  arrived  he  proved  to  be  the  same  young  man 
that  the  Doctor  had  overtaken  on  his  way  to 
Springfield,  and  that  had  so  kindly  offered  his 


horse.  That  man  was  Ahrah  im  Lincoln,  and 
the  land,  where  Chandlerville  stands,  and 
some  considerable  country  adjacent,  was  sur- 
veyed by  him. 

Dr.  Chandler  was  a  man  of  stirring  energy. 
He  built  the  first  frame  house,  10  by  12,  one 
story,  ever  built  in  Cass  County,  and  he  built 
the  present  large  residence  on  the  Chandler 
estate  in  1836,  which  is  yet  among  the  finest 
residences  in  the  village.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  physicians  in  Central  Illinois  who  adopt- 
ed quinine  in  his  practice  as  a  remedy,  and  the 
first  who  opposed  bleeding  as  a  remedy  for 
disease.  When  he  first  came  to  the  Sanga- 
mon bottom  he  was  called  into  practice  before 
he  could  build  a  stable  for  his  horse,  and  when 
at  home,  for  weeks  his  wife  cut  grass  with 
the  shears  to  feed  it,  as  there  were  no  scythes 
in  the  vicinity  to  be  had  for  love  or  money. 

The  Doctor  was  also  a  man  of  charity 
as  well  as  enterprise.  He  gave  all  the  lots 
on  which  all  the  churches  are  built,  except  the 
Christian  church,  and  that  he  sold  to  the  society 
for  half  its  real  value;  he  also  gave  the  lots  for 
the  three  public  parks,  and  donated  the  land 
for  the  cemetery.  He  was  always  a  liberal 
contributor  to  the  church,  and  all  benevolent 
institutions.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  town, 
and  a  father  to  it  while  he  lived. 

Since  1856,  many  valuable  accessions  to 
the  social  and  business  power  of  the  commu- 
nity have  been  made;  good  mechanics,  active 
business  houses,  sustained  by  a  large  intelli- 
gent farming  population,  energized  by  the 
iron  aid  of  a  new  railway,  passing  directly 
through  their  midst,  and  all  tolerably  per- 
meated by  Christian  character  and  influence, 
Chandlerville  hopes  a  future  of  useful  thrift. 

The  present  village  was  laid  out  in  1818, 
when  the  first  lots  were  sold.  The  town  was 
first  incorporated  in  1858,  under  the  General 
Act,  and  under  a  more  special  act  in  18G1. 
The  incorporate  area  is  exactly  one  mile 
square.  , 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


127 


The  first  members  of  the  first  village  coun- 
cil were  Dr.  Chas.  Chandler,  J.  W.  Gladding, 
W.  S.  Way,  Elisha  Olcutt,  Levi  McKee, 
with  Gen.  C.  E.  Lippincott,  as  clerk.  The 
present  members  of  the  board  are:  A.  G. 
Colson,  W.  K.  Mertz,  Roljert  Clark,  August 
Zorn,  C.  C.  Brown,  W.  H.  Pilcher,  with  A. 
G.  Colson,  as  president,  E.  H.  Henkel,  clerk, 
and  S.  C.  Fielden,  treasurer. 

At  present  there  are  twenty-nine  business 
places  in  the  town;  many  of  the  buildings 
are  of  brick,  and  the  village,  in  general,  has 
very  a  promising  business  outlook. 

The  first  Masonic  Lodge  was  chartered 
October  7th,  1S74,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  Linus  C.  Chandler,  C.  C.  Brown, 
John  Chandler,  J.  A.  Paddock,  L.  M.  Dick, 
Robert  Clark,  N.  H.  Boon,  H.  T.  Chandler, 
N.  S.  Reed,  Isaac  Buther,  John  Kershaw, 
John  Mullen,  Thos.  Mullen,  J.  M.  Telles,  Wm. 
Swartwood,  T.  A.  Skaggs,  Henry  C.  Neff, 
Commodore  Silvernail,  and  John  C.  Morse. 
L.  C.  Chandler  was  elected  the  first  Worship- 
ful Master,  and  John  Morse,  secretary.  The 
present  officers:  Levi  M.  Dick,,W.  M.;  Rob- 
ert CUrk,  S.  W.;  Thomas  Skaggs,  J.  W.;  T. 
P.  Renshaw,  Treasurer;  Arthur  Pendleton, 
Secretary;  L.  C.  Chandler,  S.  D.;  J.  B.  Mor- 
gan, J.  U.;  August  Zorn  and  M.  D.  Skaggs, 
Stewards;  T.  R.  Say,  Tyler.  The  Lodge  was 
first  organized  through  the  efforts  of  L.  C. 
Chandler.  At  first  a  dispensation  was  re- 
fused, but  Mr.  Chandler  went  to  Dixon,  inter- 
viewed the  grand  master,  and  by  urgent  ap- 
peal, he  set  aside  his  former  decision  and 
granted  a  dispensation  and  charter.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  in  June,  1874. 

In  the  spring  of  1883,  Chandlerville  suffered 
considerably  from  high  water;  many  of  the 
houses  were  surrounded  with  water  up  to  the 
windows,  and  the  water  reaching  up  Main 
street  as  far  as  the  Chandlerville  mill.  The 
water  was  higher  than  it  ever  was  known  be- 
fore. 


The  Sangamon  Valley  Mill  was  built  in 
1873,  by  Messrs.  Paddock  &  Slink.  It  is  a 
handsome  brick  structure,  costing  $10,000  to 
complete  it.  The  above  parties  did  a  success- 
ful milling  business  for  two  years,  when  they 
sold  two-thirds  of  their  interest  to  James  Ab- 
bott and  William  Howarth,  Mr.  Paddock 
holding  a  third  interest  till  his  death,  which 
occurred  two  years  after.  Messrs.  Abbott  & 
Howarth  then  purchased  the  remaining  third 
from  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Paddock.  In  1871,  the 
boiler  exploded,  damaging  the  mill  to  the  ex- 
tent of  |i3,000,  and  killing  the  engineer, 
Joseph  Davis.  Mr.  Davis  had  been  a  success- 
ful engineer  all  his  life,  and  the  cause  of  the 
explosion  will  no  doubt  always  remain  a  mys- 
tery; whether  it  occurred  by  neglect,  or 
through  some  defect  of  the  machinery  can  not 
be  ascertained. 

Smith  &  Carr's  grist  mill  was  raised  in  1875, 
at  a  cost  of  $5,000,  by  G.  B.  Skaggs  &  Bro. 
They  continued  in  the  mill  sixteen  months, 
when  they  sold  it  to  James  Tantrum,  who,  in 
turn,  sold  it  to  W.  W.  Baker,  and  shortly  af- 
terward it  was  sold  to  the  present  owners, 
Messrs.  Smith  &  Carr,  who  have  been 
doing  a  very  flourishing  business  for  the  past 
two  years,  grinding  about  50,000  bushels  of 
grain  annually.  The  engine  is  in  charge  of 
Mr.  A.  Garrett,  who  is  an  old  R.  R.  engineer, 
and  thoroughly  understands  the  business.  The 
millers  are  also  men  of  tried  experience,  and 
Chandlerville  can  boast  of  as  good  flour  as  is 
made  in  the  State. 

In  1874,  the  first  newspaper  of  the  village, 
called  the  New  Era,  was  edited  by  J.  J. 
Bunce  (S  Son.  After  running  the  paper  with 
very  moderate  success  about  one  year,  they 
closed  out  their  interest,  for  the  people  did 
not  seem  to  appreciate  the  depth  of  their  ed- 
itorials, or  the  newsy  merits  of  their  local 
columns;  or  in  other  words,  were  not  as  hun- 
gry for  "  Era  "  news  as  the  proprietors  of  the 
paper  had  at  first  anticipated. 


128 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


The  next  paper  that  broke  the  monotony 
of  village  gossip,  was  the  Cass  County  Jour- 
nal., which  was  established  by  Chas.  A.  Pratt, 
August  5,  1876.  This  paper  was  fairly 
patronized,  and  prospered  with  a  good  home 
reputation.  It  continued  under  the  name 
and  management  to  the  middle  of  February, 
1878,  when  the  office  was  purchased  by  G.  B. 
Skaggs,  who  was  assisted  by  his  brother,  J. 
W.  They  brought  out  their  first  issue,  March 
16th  of  the  same  year,  under  the  firm  name 
of  J.  W.  &  G.  B.  Skaggs.  As  the  paper 
■was  of  different  parentage  from  the  Journal, 
it  was  no  more  than  right  that  they  should 
give  it  a  name  of  their  own  choice.  They 
called  it  the  Chandlerville  Independent,  a 
name  well  chosen,  and  adapted  to  the  posi- 
tion the  paper  politically  assumed.  It  was 
successfully  conducted  by  the  two  brothers 
till  Nov.  11,  1878,  when  J.  W.  Skaggs  re- 
tired from  the  publishing  business.  The  pa- 
per was  then  under  the  sole  management  of 
G.  B.  Skaggs  up  to  Dec.  5,  1879,  when  the 
name  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  Skaggs  & 
Spink,  Mr.  E.  Spink,  of  Havana,  having  as- 
sumed one-half  interest.  The  Indej)endent 
was  then  very  satisfactorily  managed  till  Sep- 
tember, 1881,  when  Mr.  Spink,  by  mutual  con- 
sent, withdrew  from  the  firm,  leaving  the  paper 
under  its  present  manager.  The  paper  is  now 
on  solid  basis,  nearing  its  7th  year  of  unabated 
prosperity,  and  having  a  fine  run  of  advertising, 
a  growing  subscription  list,  and  a  man  widely 
known  and  highly  respected  for  its  editor  and 
manager.     Its  future  truly  looks  promising. 

"Beneath  the  rule  of  men  entirely  great 
The  pen  is  mightier  than  the  sword." 

Schools. — One  of  the  most  popular  and  in- 
teresting features  in  the  history  of  Chandler- 
ville, is  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  her 
schools.  The  village  spares  neither  labor  nor 
money  to  make  the  public  school  one  of  the 
most  progressive  of  the  county.  The  civilized 
world  is  fast  realizing  that  one  school  master 


with  his  primer  is  worth  a  legion  of  soldiers. 
The  sword  with  its  blood  and  cai-nage  has 
done  its  cruel  work.  We  now  have  more 
need  of  teachers  than  of  soldiers;  reason  and 
common  sense  are  fast  taking  the  place  of 
the  musket  and  the  cannon,  and  books  have 
becotne  the  arsenals  of  great  nations.  After 
a  few  families  had  clustered  beneath  the 
shadows  of  the  great  hills  that  overlook  the 
site  of  the  present  village,  they  began  to  look 
after  educational  interest  of  their  growing 
families.  About  the  year  1835,  Mrs.  Henry 
Ingails  opened  a  select  school  at  her  own 
residence,  and  among  some  of  her  first 
scholars  were:  Mary  J.  Chandler,  now  Mrs. 
Shaw,  Sarah  Perrin,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Marcus  Chandler,  Nancy  Leeper,  after- 
ward the  wife  of  Mr.  S.  Paddock,  Nolton  H. 
Chandler,  Louis  Bonney,  Mary  Wing,  and 
J.  Piasters.  Mrs.  Ingails,  after  teaching 
several  terms,  discontinued  the  work,  owing 
to  the  increasing  cares  of  her  family,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Emily  Chandler  Allen,  who 
taught  one  year  in  the  residence  of  Dr. 
Chandler.  Mr.  John  Rickert  then  opened 
his  private  residence  for  the  education  of  the 
youth,  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  the 
present  village,  on  what  is  known  as  the  Hash 
farm,  and  taught  one  of  the  best  pioneer 
schools  of  the  country.  He  was  a  Quaker  by 
profession  and  practice,  and  ruled  not  with 
the  ferule  and  rod,  but  with  love  and  Christ- 
ian kindness. 

In  1838,  Dr.  Chandler  built  a  small  frame 
building  about  12  by  12,  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  village,  and  fitted  it  up  with  necessary 
seats,  etc.,  for  a  school-room,  and  gave  the 
use  of  it  free  of  all  charge  to  the  community 
for  three  years.  Mrs.  Ingails,  meantime,  had 
resumed  the  work  of  teaching,  and  taught  till 
the  spring  of  1841,  when  the  building  put 
up  by  Dr.  Chandler  became  too  small  for 
school  purposes.  It  was  concluded  to  re- 
move the  school  to  the  Congregational  Church, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


129 


which  was  built  that  same  year,  and  complet- 
ed before  the  winter  term  of  school  was  to  be 
opened.  The  school  was  then  successively 
taught  by  Miss  Dunham,  who  afterward  be- 
came the  wife  of  Amos  Bonney,  Miss  E. 
Pease  and  Miss  Hosford;  the  latter  was  sent 
from  Vermont  by  Gov.  Slade,  .Dr.  Chandler 
guaranteeing  a  certain  salary,  but  the  people 
failing  to  patronize  the  school  as  much  as  he 
anticipated,  he  was  compelled  to  makeup  the 
deficit  by  paying  it  out  of  his  own  pocket. 
Mr.  D.  Craig,  Peter  Rickert,  and  Emily  Chand- 
ler, were  among  the  successful  teachers  that 
followed. 

Miss  Helen  Cotton  and  a  Miss  Harris,  in 
1851,  came  West,  to  follow  the  profession 
of  teaching;  one  was  to  land  at  Beardstown, 
and  the  other  at  Chandlerville,  and  they  con- 
cluded to  decide  by  lot  where  each  was  to 
settle  in  the  chosen  work.  It  fell  to  Miss 
Cotton's  lot  to  come  to  this  embryo  village 
and  assume  ihe  work  of  teaching.  No  better 
fortune  could  have  favored  the  citizens  of 
this  place.  She  was  a  woman  of  brilliant 
talents,  and  made  use  of  every  opportunity 
to  do.  good  and  enno.'ale  the  minds  of  those 
under  her  care  and  supervision.  She  after- 
ward became  Mrs.  Goodell,  but  losing  none 
of  her  energy  and  influence  by  assuming  the 
duties  of  the  family.  Mrs.  Ingalls,  Mr.  Rick- 
ert and  Miss  Cotton,  were  the  pioneer  teach- 
ers of  Chandlerville,  who  have  yet  among 
modern  teachers  to  find  a  rival.  The  schools 
up  to  this  time  were  all  selec",  each  scholar 
paying  iji^.oO  per  quarter  tuition.  The  teach- 
ers were  usually  boarded  by  the  patrons  or 
friends  of  the  school,  free  of  charge. 

Previous  to  1841,  a  log  cabin  was  used  for 
a  time  as  a  school  house,  where  the  boys 
with  baited  fish-hooks  and  lines,  used  to  fish 
for  rats  through  the  open  cracks  in  the  floor, 
that  being  their  only  pastime,  while  the 
vigilant  eyes  of  the  teacher  were  not  upon 
them.      In   1S56,   a  common   frame   building 


was  erected  on  one  of  the  same  lots  now  en- 
closed within  the  limits  of  the  present  school 
yard.  Mr.  N.  S.  Canfield  was  among  the 
first  teachers  who  taught  in  the  new  building. 
The  school  now  began  to  assume  some  pro- 
portions of  size,  and  much  more  attention 
began  to  be  paid  to  educational  matters. 

In  the  autumn  of  IStj  <,  a  part  of  the  pres- 
ent brick  building  was  designed  and  built  by 
the  following  committee:  Dr.  Chandler,  P. 
Neif,  and  P.  T.  Norton.  In  1878  the  school 
building  seemed  insufficient  to  comfortably 
seat  all  the  pupils  attending  school,  and  an 
addition  of  two  rooms  was  added  by  the  di- 
rectors, L.  C.  Chandler,  Robert  Clark,  and  R. 
R.  Cromlich.  The  whole  building  now  con- 
tains five  rooms,  and  cost  the  village  16,000. 
The  first  principal  in  the  new  building  was 
Maria  Elam,  and  her  first  ass'stant  Ella 
Duneway.  The  present  board  of  directors 
are:  Robert  Clark,  B.  Bowman,  and  Albert 
Smith.  The  building  now  is  used  exclusively 
for  school  purposes,  but  the  wooden  building, 
previous  to  the  present  structure,  was  built 
with  the  understanding  that  its  doors  should 
be  open  to  all  public  speakers,  lecturers, 
Church  services,  shows  and  elections,  or  any 
thing  by  way  of  public  instruction  or  enter- 
tainment of  a  moral  eh  iracter. 

The  public  school  of  Chandlerville  is  very 
popular.  It  is  patronized  by  citizens  of  all 
classes  and  of  all  denominations;  sectarian 
and  political  biases  have  been  sedulously 
avoided  in  its  management,  and  it  is  the  sin- 
gle aim  of  those  in  charge  of  the  school,  and 
of  the  citizens  alike,  to  give  the  youth  of  the 
town  the  best  possible  training,  both  in  intel- 
lect and  morals.  The  course  of  study  is 
so  arranged  that  pupils  leaving  school  at  the 
a"-e  of  twelve  or  fourteen,  are  able  to  write 
and  read  well,  have  a  good  understanding  ol 
the  fundinental  principles  of  arithmetic,  and 
a  general  knowledge  of  geography,  and  a 
good  preparation  for  business  in  general. 


130 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


Congregational  Church. — In  the  fall  of 
1836,  October  16th,  a  Presbyterian  church 
was  organized  by  Revs.  Albert  Hale  and 
Slierron  Baldwin,  holding  their  services  for 
the  time  being  in  the  house  of  Dr.  Chandler. 

The  church  at  first  was  composed  of  five 
members  only,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sewall,  Mr.  Mar- 
cus Hicks,  Mrs.  Marcus  Chandler,  and  Mrs. 
Lavinia  Ingalls,  all  being  Presbyterians  in 
their  religious  proclivities,  except  the  two  lat- 
ter, who  bringing  letters  from  Congregational 
churches,  were  united  with  the  society. 

About  181:1  or  1843,  a  church  building  was 
erected  at  cost  of  $700.  It  was  then  decided 
by  a  vote  of  the  members  (the  number  hav- 
ing been  increased  to  nearly  twice  the  origi- 
nal number),  that  the  building  should  be 
known  as  a  Congregational  church;  but  there 
remains  no  formal  record  of  any  formal 
change  in  the  ecclesiastical  relation  of  the 
church  organization  till  October,  18i7,  when 
it  became  Congregational,  according  to  the 
reports  made  to  the  Southern  Association  of 
Illinois,  with  which  it  is  at  present  connected. 
In  the  early  beginning,  the  little  band  of 
Christ's  disciples  were  indebted  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Illinois  College  Faculty  for  nearly 
all  their  spiritual  food — President  Sturtevant 
and  Professer  Turner  preaching  to  them,  and 
administering  the  Sacrament.  Revs.  Hale  and 
Baldwin  also  visited  them  at  stated  times,  to 
aid  the  society  in  their  Christian  work. 

The  first  pastor  was  Prof.  J.  B.  Turner, 
from  Jacksonville,  who  in  1841  was  succeed- 
ed by  Rev.  Mr.  Pond,  and  Mr.  Pond  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Socrates  Smith,  who  came 
under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society,  and  he  was  followed  by 
the  following  ministers:  Thomas  Lippincott, 
the  father  of  General  Lippincott,  Allyn  S. 
Kollogg,  Wm.  Barnes,  O.  C.  Dickinson,  J.  R. 
Kimnedy,  George  Paddock.  P.  A.  Beane,  S. 
B.  Gtx>d«nough,  Hemy  Perkins,  aud  J.  M. 
Bowers. 


The  present  officers  of  /he  Church  are  Dr. 
N.  S.  Read,  Thomas  Ainsworth  and  J.  H. 
Goodell,  and  this  Church  has  a  membership 
of  51,  who  are  all  liberal  and  enthusiastic  in 
their  Christian  work. 

The  Sabbath  school  is  a  very  prominent 
feature  of  the  Church,  largely  attended,  and 
far  superior  to  most  of  the  Sibbath  schools 
found  in  similar  villages.  Dr.  N.  S.  Read  has 
been  its  Superintendent  for  the  past  twenty- 
seven  years,  beginning  with  but  25  scholars 
and  now  numbering  over  200.  Dr.  Rjad  has 
been  a  zealous  worker,  and  the  prosperity 
and  progress  of  the  Sabbath  school  is  largely 
due  to  his  untiring  energy.  He  is  the  right 
man  in  the  right  place. 

31ethodist  Church. — A  few  Methodist  fam- 
ilies held  their  first  meetings  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Squire  Bonney,  whenever  they  were 
able  to  secure  the  services  of  a  minister  from 
the  neighboring  settlements.  Revs.  Springer, 
Cartwright,  Ridgeley,  Garner  and  Wyatt, 
were  among  the  first  clergymen  that  ad- 
ministered to  the  spiritual  wants  of  their 
brethren  at  Chandlerville.  The  Society  was 
first  placed  in  circumstances  to  employ  a  reg- 
ular minister  by  Messrs.  Bonney,  Richard, 
McDaniel,  Proctor  and  Hicks.  These  were 
men  of  energy,  and  labored  not  only  for 
themselves,  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity and  the  moral  elevation  of  their  fel- 
low-raen.  They  hired  the  Congregational 
church  for  their  Sabbath  services,  and  con- 
tinued there  for  about  three  years,  when  they 
found  themselves  eufficiently  strong  to  build 
an  edifice  of  worship  for  themselves.  This 
latter  enterprise  was  larg^y  brought  about 
by  the  labors  of  Elisha  Olcutt.  They  built 
their  present  church  about  the  year  1851,  at  a 
cost  of  $1,200,  the  lot  being  donated  by  Dr. 
Chandler. 

The  church  grew  very  prosperous,  and  its 
membersiup  quite  large.  It  was  doing  a  noble 
work  in  the  Christian  cause,  when  it  was  des- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


131 


tilled  to  suffer  greatly  from  emigration,  many 
of  its  leading  members  going  West,  or  set- 
tling in  different  parts  of  the  State,  among 
whom  were:  Mr.  Olcutt,  John  Boycourt,  N. 
Canfield  and  T.  Way.  The  church,  how- 
ever, though  somewhat  embarrassed,  did  not 
lose  courage,  but  kept  its  armor  bright,  and  is 
still  "  marching  along"  with  moderate  pros- 
perity. Rev.  Charles  Forree  is  the  present 
pastor. 

Catholic  Church. — The  members  of  the 
Catholic  Society  held  their  first  meetings  at 
the  residence  of  Mr.  P.  Neff  for  about  three 
years,  when  they  formally  organized  in  1874, 
and  thereafter  continued  their  Sabbath  wor- 
ship in  the  hall,  over  the  store  of  Mr.  Neft'. 
Father  Ryan  has  officiated  as  pastor  for  the 
past  four  years. 

Mr.  Neff  was  the  leading  spirit  in  originat- 
ing and  pushing  the  society  organization;  he 
organized  a  Sablsath  school  about  one  year 
before  the  church  society  was  organized,  pay- 
ing twenty-five  dollars  rent  out  of  his  own 
pocket.  He  has  kept  up  the  Sabbath  school 
ever  since,  and  no  doubt  will  continue  to 
figure  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of 
the  society  till  a  church  is  built,  furnished 
and  supplied. 

Christian  Church. — Elder  D.  W.  Shurt- 
leff  came  from  Beardstown  in  the  winter  of 
1862,  and  preached  to  a  few  Christian  families 
in  the  vicinity  of  Chandlerville,  and  February 
15th,  of  the  same  winter,  at  Pleasant  Ridge 
school-house,  the  church  was  first  organized 
with  the  fellowiiig  members:  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
C.  J.  Wilson,  W.  D.  Leeper,  S.  B.  Jones,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wm.  Bradshaw,  Smith  Wilson, 
Nancy  Smith,  Lucy  Curtis,  .Tulia  Curtis, 
Clarissa  Briggs  and  Barbara  Lucus.  W.  D. 
Leeper,  assisted  by  S.  B.  Jones,  were  the 
prime  movers  in  getting  Elder  D.  W.  Shurt- 
leff  into  the  settlement.  They  were  the  men 
that  formed  the  first  nucleus  of  the  church, 
and  around  which  clustered  the   developing 


interest  of  the  Christian  work.  The  church 
was  greatly  stimulated  and  strengthened  by 
some  stirring  revivals.  Prof.  McCaukle,  of 
Eureka  College,  and  Elder  A.  G.  Kane,  oi 
Springfield,  were  among  the  most  prominent 
that  awoke  the  community  to  a  Christian 
sense  of  duty.  Their  words  of  warning  and 
entreaty  sank  deep  and  reverently  into  many 
hearts,  and  great  numbers  were  converted 
and  added  to  the  fold  of  the  Master.  The 
members  were  united,  and  as  one,  in  their 
social  and  religious  relations,  brotherly  and 
sisterly  love  ruled  every  motive,  and  ere  three 
years  had  scarcely  passed  I'rom  the  date  of 
their  first  organization,  they  found  themselves 
sufficiently  strong  to  build  a  church  of  their 
own;  the  present  handsome,  convenient  frame 
building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,700.  The 
building  committee  that  designed  and  con- 
structed, and  supervised  the  work  in  general, 
consisted  of  the  following  persons:  Robert 
Cole,  .LA.  Raines,  S.  B.  .Tones,  and  James  Arm- 
strong. Elders  John  Raines  and  Albert  Rice 
preached  on  alternate  Sabbaths,  the  first  year 
after  the  church  was  completed.  The  church, 
under  the  leadership  of  J.  W.  Monser  and 
M.  R.  Elder  and  the  two  pastors,  just  men- 
tioned, saw  its  brightest  days  ;  its  member- 
ship was  swelled  to  one  hundred  or  more 
members  ;  peace  and  prosperity  smiled  upon 
the  church. 

A  Sabbath  school,  numbering  some  seventy 
or  eighty  scholars,  was  among  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  progressive  features  of 
the  society.  Dr.  N.  H.  Boon  and  Douglass 
McGee  were  among  the  most  earnest  workers 
in  the  Sabbath  school,  one  or  the  other  being 
superintendent  most  of  the  time  for  many 
years. 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  how  rapidly  the 
church  grew,  but  more  wonderful  to  see  how 
quickly  it  crumbled  and  its  members  divided 
and  scattered.  "  A  house  divided  against 
itself  can   not  stand." 


132 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


For  the  past  two  years  no  regular  Sabbath 
services  have  been  held,  though  occasional 
services  occur. 

Lutheran  Church. — The  German  Evangel- 
ical Lutheran  church  was  built  in  the  year 
1870.  The  society  was  organized  about  six 
months  previous  and  held  their  meetings  in  the 
Congregational  and  Christian  churches. 

The  original  members  of  the  church  were: 
J.  Eichenaur,  H.  Schneider,  J.  Craft,  J.  Mush, 
G.  Zorn,  F.  Brauer,  H.  During,  C.  Boensel 
and  H.  Joeckel.  Eichenaur,  Schneider,  Brauer 
and  Boensel  being:  all  that  are  left  of  the  oria-- 
iiial  little  band  of  worshipers.  The  church 
has  been  very  progressive  under  the  following 
pastoi^:  Mr.  Weisinger,  Mr.  Baumann,  A. 
Willner  and  A.  D.  Greif;  the  latter  being 
the  present  pastor,  and  of  an  earnest,  indus- 
trious turn  of  mind.  He  has  organized  a 
day  school,  and  teaches  four  days  of  the 
week.  The  church  building  is  an  ordinary 
wooden  frame,  not  large  but  pleasantly  situ- 
ated. The  membership  is  thirty,  which  is 
considered  large  for  the  number  of  German 
families  residing  in  the  vicinity. 

Professional. — The  legal  or  forensic  inter- 
est of  the  village  is  exclusively  in  the  hands 
of  Hon.  L.  C.  Chandler,  a  son  of  Dr.  Chand- 
ler. He  has  been  prosecuting  attorney  one 
term  of  four  years,  and  a  member  of  the  leg- 
islature. He  is  a  man  widely  known,  and 
does  all  the  business  in  his  line  that  origin- 
ates in  the  town.' 

Dr.  Reed  and  Dr.  N.  H.  Boon  lead  the 
medical  profession  of  the  village,  being  men 
of  large  experience,  and  widely  known. 
People  do  not  hesitate  to  employ  them.  They 
have  a  large  practice  and  are  among  the  old- 
est and  most  respected  citizens  of  the  village. 

In  closing  our  chapter  of  Cbandlerville,  we 
can  not  refrain  from  offering  a  brief  tribute  to 


the  memory  of  its  founder.  Dr.  Chandler.  The 
early  community  of  Cbandlerville  was  patri- 
archal in  its  characteristics.  It  originated  in 
the  self-sacrificing  devotion  of  its  founder;  its 
first  steps  were  directed  and  carefully  guarded 
by  his  judgment,  and  in  its  maturor  years 
bears  his  name  and  the  impress  of  his  char- 
acter. 

It  is  difficult  to  imagine  the  early  prosperity 
of  this  settlement  vrithout  the  material  and 
moral  support  of  Dr.  Chandler.  He  w.is  the 
central  figure  in  its  early  history,  and  lost 
none  of  his  prominence  while  he  lived.  Com- 
ing as  a  benefactor,  he  allowed  no  desire  for 
private  ends  to  swerve  him  from  his  chosen 
course.  He  sought  to  establish  a  center  of 
civilizing  influence;  his  was  a  mission  of  good, 
and  the  records  of  his  time  bear  ample  testi- 
mony of  his  faithfulness  to  such  a  cause;  the 
sick,  the  unfortunate,  found  in  him  a  helpful 
friend;  public  enterprises  were  placed  beyond 
the  danger  of  failure  by  his  efi'orts;  strugglin::;- 
merit  never  failed  for  lack  of  material  aid 
when  solicited  of  him,  while  his  old  account- 
books,  bearing  the  names  of  every  member  of 
the  settlement  in  those  early  days,  tell  matiy 
a  tale  of  his  devotion  to  his  people.  His  sup- 
port of  the  Church  and  school  was  liberal, 
frequent  and  voluntary.  He  labored  for  the 
common  good  and  the  elevation  of  mankind. 
Some  three  years  ago,  to  the  regret  and  sor- 
row of  all  who  knew  him,  "God's  finger 
ouched  him,  and  he  slept." 

All  honor  be,  then,  to  these  gray  old  men, 
When  at  last  they  are  bowed  with  toil; 
Their  warfare  then  o'er,  they  battle  no  more, 
For  they've  conquered  the  stubborn  soil. 
And  the  chiwplet  each  wears,  is  the  silver  hairs, 
And  ne'er  shall  the  victor's  brow 
With  a  laurel  crown  to  the  grave  go  down, 
Like  the  pioneer  sons — of  fame,  renown. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


133 


CHAPTER    Xin.* 

ASHLAND  PRECINCT— PHYSICAL  FEATURES— EARLY  SETTLERS— PIONEER  TIMES— SCHOOLS 
AND  CHURCHES— THE  VILLAGE  OF  ASHLAND. 


THE  first  settlers,  who  gazed  upon  the  broad 
waste  of  prairie,  the  unmolested  groves, 
dense  and  tangled  with  brush  and  briar,  be- 
fore a  plow  had  touched  the  virgin  soil,  or  an 
ax  had  struck  a  tree,  little  thought  that  all 
this  wilderness,  in  their  own  day,  before  their 
own  locks  were  silvered  with  the  thread  of 
time,  would  be  made  to  blossom  as  a  garden. 
Little  thought  had  they  of  seeing  beautiful 
homes,  waving  fields  of  golden  grain,  green 
pastures  and  grazing  herds,  where  the 
bounding  deer,  crouching  panther  and  howl- 
ing wolf,  held  unmolested  sway. 

Little  thought  they  that  in  their  time,  fur- 
naces, forges,  fire  and  steam,  amid  the  noise 
and  whirl  of  swift  and  bright  machinery, 
would  sow,  reap,  bind,  thresh,  grind  and 
market  their  grain.  Labor  and  invention  are 
man's  greatest  functions,  and  wonderful  are 
the  changes  the  past  half  century  has  wrought. 

Ashland  Precinct  has  an  area  of  twenty- 
two  miles.  It  formerly  was  much  larger,  in- 
cluding a  greater  portion  of  Philadelphia 
Precinct  within  its  original  boundary.  There 
is  but  little  timber  within  its  present 
limits  ;  Panther  Grove,  in  the  northern  por- 
tion of  the  precinct,  with  here  and  there  a  few 
scattering  trees,  may  be  said  to  be  all  the 
timber  worth  mentioning.  The  land  origi- 
nally was  mostly  prairie  ;  it  is  quite  level 
but  very  productive.  The  soil  is  of  a  dark 
color  and  varies  from  one  to  three  feet  in  depth. 

There  are  no  streams  worthy  of  mention  in 
the  precinct;  Panther  Creek  takes  its  rise  in 

•  Hy  J.  L.  Nichols. 


Panther  Grove,  and  becomes  quite  a  stream  in 
its  course  to  the  Sangamon  River. 

Mr.  Eli  Cox  was  the  first  settler  who  came 
into  Ashland  Precinct;  he  "  blazed"  the  first 
tree  on  the  corner  of  his  claim  in  1818,  and  he 
is  one  of  the  oMe  t  settlers  of  Cass  County. 
He  is  very  peculiar  and  anomalous  in  his 
ways,  accumulating  considerable  property  and 
money,  but  never  could  be  induced  to  deposit 
his  surplus  mone  /  outside  of  his  own  house 
or  premises,  deeming  the  banks  very  hazard 
ous  and  unsif  ,  and  consequently  he  has  been 
the  victim  of  robbers  for  the  third  time.  The 
last  time  he  was  assaulted  was  Aug.  19, 1S8;2. 
A  party  of  masked  villains  burst  into  his 
apartments,  thinking  he  had  some  $3,000  in 
his  possession,  and  tortured  him  in  a  very 
brutal  manner;  they  placed  burning  coals  at 
his  feet,  heated  a  poker,  and  cruelly  and  dan- 
gerously burnt  other  portions  of  his  body; 
also  hanging  him  by  the  neck  several  times, 
hoping  thereby  to  force  from  him  a  confession 
as  to  th '  whereabouts  of  his  money,  but  the 
Wednesday  previous  he  had  been  prevailed 
upon  by  his  lawyer  in  Jacksonville  to  de- 
posit his  money  in  a  bunk,  and  conspquently 
the  fiends  sf^cured  but  $45  as  the  reward  of 
their  midnight  assault  upon  a  helpless  and 
d^'fonceicss  old  man.  A  family  by  he  name 
of  Shiltz  occupied  a  portion  of  the  house,  but 
their  guns  being  unload  d,  the  family  were 
rendered  helpless,  and  with  cocked  revolvers 
at  their  door  were  quietly  requested  to  icinain 
in  their  apartments. 

In   1850,    Mr.  Cox   settled  on    his    present 
farm,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.    Will- 


134 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


iam  Crow  and  William  Cooper  settled  in  the 
precinct  soon  after  Mr.  Cox  had  located. 
Ashland  Precinct  was  not  generally  settled 
till  comparatively  a  late  date,  the  land  beinjr 
mostly  prairie,  and  the  first  settlers,  coming 
from  timbered  countries,  thought  it  impossible 
to  locale  on  the  prairie,  where  there  was  no 
timber.  David  R.  Short  made  an  effort  in 
1830,  to  get  away  from  the  timber,  and  took 
up  a  claim  where  Joshua  Atkins  now  resides, 
but  after  the  first  year's  trial  he  became  dis- 
couraged, and  sold  out  his  interest  in  the 
land  to  his  uncle,  Samuel  Short,  who  resided 
then  in  Sangamon  County.  Even  at  that  late 
date  it  was  thought  by  most  of  the  settlers 
that  the^prairies  would  remain  an  "  everlasting 
waste,"  but  they  were  soon  undeceived,  for 
the  prairie  lands  soon  became  the  most  desira- 
ble to  be  secured.  In  1831,  Stephen  Lee 
built  a  cabin  in  Panther  Grove,  and  John 
Miller  and  Alfred  Dutch  soon  moved  into  the 
precinct,  and  began  improving  farms.  In 
1824,  when  Adams,  Jackson  and  Clay  ran  for 
president,  there  were  not  enough  settlers  in 
the  precinct  to  organize  an  election,  and  it 
was  several  months  after  the  election  before 
they  heard  the  result. 

The  deep  snow  occurred  in  the  winter  of 
1830  and  1831,  and  this  seems  to  be  the 
principal  data  the  old  settlers  have,  dating 
most  of  the  events  of  their  early  history  in 
the  settlement  of  the  county,  as  occurring  be- 
fore and  after  that  winter.  Charivaring  and 
dancing  were  the  principal  amusements  of  the 
young.  The  charivari  is  of  French  origin, 
but  quite  generally  practiced  as  a  means  of 
amusement  in  that  early  day,  and  to  some 
extent  at  the  present. 

Mr.  Alfred  Dutch  built  the  first  frame  house 
ever  erected  in  the  precinct,  in  1834.  It  was 
an  elegant  building  for  those  early  times,  but 
he  came  with  some  means,  and  took  pride  in 
making  himself  and  family  comfortable. 

The   first  settlers  received  but  little  mail, 


and  the  first  post  office  was  at  Jacksonville. 
Their  market  was  St.  Louis,  and  the  journey 
there,  a  distance  of  lOO  miles  or  more,  took 
from  seven  to  eighteen  days,  tlie  roads  being 
very  roundabout,  and  often  very  difficult. 
They  drove,  also,  their  cattle  and  hogs  to  that 
distant  market,  a  task  which  the  farmers  of 
to-day  would  deem  almost  an  impossibility. 
Those  who  have  lived  only  in  the  era  of  rail- 
roads, steamships  and  electricity,  know  but 
little  of  the  privations,  hardships  and  suffer- 
ings their  pioneer  fathers  endured;  they  know 
but  little  of  what  it  was  to  build  cabins,  subdue 
the  wild  prairies,  and  narrow  down  the  groves, 
with  no  tools  or  machinery  except  the  ax, 
spade  and  plow;  but  those  times  have  forever 
passed  away,  and  will  only  be  known  as  facts 
of  history. 

The  first  pioneers  of  the  precinct  were  not 
a  Godless  people,  but  early  and  devotedly 
counseled  together,  devising  every  means 
possible  for  promoting  religious  and  moral 
influences  in  the  community.  They  held 
meetings  in  private  cabins,  school-houses 
and  groves;  wherever  a  few  Cliristian  families 
could  assemble,  the  word  of  God  would 
be  preached.  Peter  Cartwright,  the  famous 
pioneer  preacher,  was  a  devoted  friend  to  the 
early  settlers  in  this  section  of  the  country. 
As  early  as  1823  we  find  him  preaching  in 
the  cabin  of  Mr.  Crow,  to  the  following  fami- 
lies: Samuel  Short,  William  Cooper,  S;ephen 
Short,  John  Cox,  Samuel  Robinson,  R.  Heads- 
peth,  William  Miller,  and  James  Watson. 
Many  similar  meetings  in  various  cabins  of 
the  settlers  were  held  for  many  years. 

The  Centenary  M.  E.  Church,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  precinct,  took  its  name  from 
the  Centennial  year  of  Methodism  in  America. 
The  church  society  was  first  organized  at  the 
the  residence  of  Samuel  Sinclair,  in  1853, 
with  the  following  families:  Joseph  Bowers, 
John  Cheatham,  John  Gill,  and  Jonathan 
Gill.      Mr.  Sinclair   was  a    minister    of    the 


<J)it^/tH^-C    ^C^^*^^^^ 


l'^/lv^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


137 


gospel  himself,  and  he  and  his  wife,  Myra 
Ann,  did  more  than  all  others  in  working  up 
the  interest  which  finally  culminated  in  the 
present  prosperous  church  organization. 
They  opened  their  own  house  for  church  ser- 
vices, entertaining  and  feeding  all  that  came. 
They  were  a  very  hospitable  family  and  did 
much  good,  not  only  as  christian  workers, 
but  as  citizens  and  neighbors;  they  were  ever 
ready  and  willing  to  assist  those  who  were 
less  fortunate  than  themselves. 

Rev.  James  Garner  was  among  the  first 
ministers  of  that  neighborhood,  and  held  oc- 
casional services  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Sin- 
clair, till  the  fall  of  1857,  when  the  school 
house  was  built,  where  he,  in  connection  with 
Lewis  Mathews,  M.  Monroe,  and  Revs.  Ayers 
and  Hewitt  continued  preaching  for  three 
years  or  more.  The  Circuit  was  then  organ- 
ized ind  Rev.  J.  Mitchell  was  appointed  as 
the  regular  pastor.  Mr.  Mitchell  was  one  of 
the  most  successful  revivalists  that  was  ever 
appointed  to  the  charge;  he  often  preached 
five  and  six  weeks  in  succession  without  any 
assistance,  holding  meetings  every  afternoon 
and  evening.  Peter  Cartwright,  the  Presid- 
ing Elder,  called  him  "  Whalebone,"  a  term 
very  appropriate,  considering  his  ambition 
and  endurance.  The  society  built  their  pres- 
ent church  in  1866.  It  is  a  beautiful  frame 
building,  very  conveniently  adapted  for  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  built. 

Rev.  William  Stribling,  from  Jacksonville, 
a  retired  minister,  gave  five  acres  of  land  for 
the  building  and  support  of  the  church.  Mr. 
Stiibling  was  very  generous  in  the  use  of  his 
acquired  property,  giving  a  greater  portion 
of  it  to  the  schools  and  churches  of  the  coun- 
try. The  building  committee  was  made  up  of 
the  two  Samuel  Sinclairs  and  John  Beggs. 
The  first  trustees  of  the  church  were:  John 
Beggs,  Samuel  Sinclair,  Joseph  Bowers,  and 
Levi  M.  Ream.  The  present  membership  of 
the  church  is  forty. 


A  Sabbath  school  of  considerable  inter- 
est has  been  successfully  conducted  in  con- 
nection with  the  church.  It  was  first  organ- 
ized in  Fly  Point  school-house,  with  about 
thirty  scholars.  At  present  both  church  and 
Sabbath  school  are  very  interestedly  at  work, 
and  the  work  of  both  has  become  a  strong, 
stimulating  force  in  the  community. 

There  were  no  schools  organized  in  the  pre- 
cinct, till  a  comparatively  late  date,  for  the 
prairies  were  not  generally  settled  till  about 
1858  or  '(30.  The  first  school-house  built  in 
the  precinct  in  1855,  was  known  as  the 
Begg's  school-house.  The  children  in  the 
southern  part  in  an  early  day,  attended  a 
school  in  Morgan  County,  located  in  the  grove 
near  Mr.  John  Cox. 

At  the  present  day  school-houses  are  con- 
veniently located  all  over  the  precinct,  no 
scholars  being  compelled  to  walk  to  school 
more  than  a  mile,  or  a  mile  and  a  half,  at 
most.  The  educational  interests  are  well 
guarded,  and  the  general  intelligence  of  the 
growing  youth  is  ample  testimony  that  the 
present  schools  and  present  school  systems 
are  not,  and  have  not  been,  a  failure. 

Ashland  Village. — The  name  was  taken 
from  the  home  of  that  great  Kentucky  states- 
man, Henry  Clay,  who  was  long  known  as  the 
Sage  of  Ashland.  Many  of  the  earlier  settlers 
coming  from  Kentucky,  it  is  not  strange  that 
they  should  associate  the  name  of  their  town 
with  the  memory  of  that  noble  and  eloquent 
orator,  so  long  the  pride  of  their  native  State. 

In  1857,  shortly  after  the  Tonica  &  Peters- 
burg Raih'oad,  since  known  as  the  Alton,  was 
surveyed,  a  company  was  organized  for  the 
purpose  of  laying  out  a  town  and  speculat- 
ing in  the  sale  of  lots.  This  company  con- 
sisted of  Elmore  Crow,  James  L.  Beggs,  Will- 
iam G.  Spears,  Richard  Yates  (the  famous 
war-governor  of  Illinois),  and  others,  whose 
names  we  were  not  able  to  obtain.  The 
trustees  of  the  Jacksonville  Female  Academv 


138 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


purchased  a  half  interest,  for  the  purpose  of 
adding  the  net  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  lots  to 
the  general  fund  of  the  school. 

The  land  upon  which  the  village  is  located 
was  originally  owned  by  Elmore  Crow,  who 
reserved  a  proportional  interest  when  he 
deeded  the  land  to  the  company.  He  owned 
al)out  GOO  acres,  of  which  nearly  one  half  was 
laid  out  into  village  lots.  The  boundary  of 
the  village,  as  originally  laid  out,  was  as  fol- 
lows :  Commencing  at  a  point  one-fourth  of 
one  mile  due  west  of  the  southeast  corner  of 
section  twenty-nine,  township  seventeen, 
range  eight,  west  of  the  third  principal  mer- 
idian in  the  County  of  Cass,  State  of  Ills., 
running  due  north  one  half  mile,  thence  due 
east  one  mile,  thence  due  south  one  mile, 
thence  due  west  one  mile,  thence  due  north 
one  half  mile,  to  the  point  of  starting.  Be- 
side the  public  squares  and  commons,  tlie 
lots  were  divided  into  144  blocks. 

The  laying  out  of  Ashland  was  not  a  mat- 
ter of  speculation  alone.  Those  that  invest- 
ed in  lots,  made  the  purchase  with  the  view 
of  improving  them  for  either  a  residence  or 
place  of  business,  and  often  both.  A  thriving 
corn  crop  was  growing  on  the  ground  when 
the  lots  were  staked  off.  Several  who  are 
now  residents  of  the  village,  remember  dis- 
tinctly when  they  bound  wheat  and  husked 
corn  on  the  very  ground  where  the  principal 
business  places  are  built.  Mr.  Crow's  house 
was  the  first  building  erected  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  town;  he  being  a  farmer 
and  owning  the  land,  had  improved  it  to  a 
limited  extent.  The  old  building  yet  stands, 
and  is  known  as  the  Douglass  boarding  house. 
About  forty  buildings  were  on  the  grounds 
the  first  year.  A  little  village  or  burgh,  con- 
sisting of  perhaps  a  dozen  houses,  and  known 
by  the  name  of  Rushaway,  was  moved  to 
Ashland  and  became  a  part  of  the  town.  The 
first  two  public  sales  of  lots  amounted  to 
$102,000.       There     were  also  many     jjrivate 


sales,  and  the  business  of  selling  lots  for  a 
time  was  financially  a  success. 

W.  R.  Hunter  was  among  the  first  merch- 
ants of  the  village.  He  built  a  store  on  Main 
street  and  began  a  general  grocery  and  dry- 
goods  trade,  and  continued  in  business  at 
the  above  named  place  some  four  years, 
when  he  entered  into  partnership  with  J.  M. 
.lones.  They  continued  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  Hunter  &  Jones,  buying  grain  in 
connection  with  their  general  store  trade  till 
1873,  when  Mr.  Hunter  sold  out  his  interest 
in  the  store  and  entered  exclusively  into  the 
grain  trade.  Mr.  Hunter  may  be  called  the 
oldest  business  man  in  the  village,  he  being 
one  of  the  first  to  engage  and  has  ever  since 
been  identified  with  the  business  of  the  town, 
biung  at  present  largely  interested  in  the 
grain   trade. 

William  Goble  and  Alexander  Mansfield 
built  a  store  and  began  business  about  the 
time  Mr.  Hunter  opened  his  store.  They 
continued  business  about  two  years,  when 
they  became  financially  embarrassed,  and 
their  stock  was  sold  out  under  the  Shoriif 's 
hammer.  The  building  which  they  erected, 
however,  is  still  in  existence,  being  changed 
to  a  dwelling,  and  at  present  is  owned  by  Mr. 
O.  P.  Lewis. 

From  18G3  to  1866,  there  was  but  one  gen- 
eral store  in  the  town,  viz.:  Hunter  &  Jones. 
They  did  an  extensive  business,  and  were 
widely  known  as  straightforward,  thorough 
business  men.  The  first  post  office  was  kept 
in  their  store,  and  W.  R.  Hunter  was  the  regu- 
larly appointed  postmaster.  He  was  succeeded 
by  W.  AV.  Redman,  who  has  held  that  position 
ever  since.  Mr.  llediaan  was  also  interested 
in  the  drug  business  previous  to  the  fire.  He 
is  a  man  widely  known  and  universally  re- 
spected. 

Previous  to  the  opening  of  the  present  post 
office,  the  settlers  procured  their  mail  at  Lan- 
caster, some    three   and  a  half  miles   distant. 


IIISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


139 


Tlie  first  hotel  of  the  villaare  is  the  present 
brick  building  now  used  for  that  purpose,  and 
owned  and  run  by  J.  L.  Clark.  The  building 
was  first  built  by  a  company  consisting  of  the 
following  persons  :  Elmore  Crow,  James  L. 
Bcggs,  and  William  Spears. 

The  first  blacksmith  shop  was  put  up  by 
Leander  Grandy,  just  north  of  the  present 
site  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Another  about  the  same  time  was  started 
by  Andrew  Henderson,  who  was  shortly  after 
bought  out  by  John  L.  Douglas,  and  he  in 
turn  after  continuing  the  business  for  one 
year  or  thereabouts,  sold  out  to  Messrs. 
Crow  and  Beggs.  This  shop  stood  just  west 
of  the  present  hotel,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
street.  It  has  long  since  disappeared  and 
others  hive  taken  its  place.  About  the  same 
time  the  blacksmith  business  was  begun,  a 
wagon  shop  was  opened  by  William  Bready. 
He  followed  the  business  with  moderate  suc- 
cess for  three  years.  The  present  wagon 
shop  is  doing  a  prosperous  business,  and  is 
run  by  Charles  Goodman.  In  18T3  the  pres- 
ent elevator  was  built  by  Messrs.  Hunter, 
Duey  &  Co.  It  is  the  only  building  of  the 
kind  in  the  town.  Mr.  Hunter,  since  the  com- 
pletion of  the  building,  bought  out  the  inter- 
est of  his  partners  and  conducts  the  business 
himself.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  conveniently 
built  and  modernly  improved,  costing  $8,000. 
Mr.  Hunter  is  one  of  the  prominent  grain 
deale.-s  of  the  village,  and  handles  over  100,- 
000  bushels  of  grain  annually.  The  other 
grain  firms  doing  business  in  the  town  are, 
E.  Beggs,  and  Hamilton  &  Duey. 

January  18,  1868,  a  meeting  of  the  promi- 
nent citizens  took  place  for  the  purpose  of 
arranging  an  election  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
corporating the  village.  Tlie  election  which 
shortly  afterward  followed,  resulted  in  thirtv- 
five  ballots  in  favor,  and  four  against,  incor- 
poration, and  the  following  persons  were 
elected  as  members  and  officers  of  the  villao-e 


board  :  Stephen  Barnes,  President ;  W.  R. 
Hunter,  Clerk;  J.  G.  Smith,  Police  Magis- 
trate ;  James  L.  Beggs,  A.  L.  Corson,  and  J. 
G.  Smith. 

Previous  to  the  building  of  the  O.  &  M.  R. 
R.,  in  J 871,  the  growth  of  the  town  was  not 
rapid,  and  the  business  it  did  was  not  of  a 
very  pressing  character  ;  but  on  the  comple- 
tion of  the  new  railroad,  real  estate  business, 
and  building  took  a  new  start,  and  Ashland 
at  once  took  her  place  as  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  business  towns  of  the  county,  and 
at  its  present  ratio  of  progress  it  will  soon 
rival  the  county-seat  itself. 

In  1877  the  village  met  with  a  serious 
draw-back  and  heavy  losses  by  fire.  The 
most  central  and  thriving  business  portion  of 
the  town  was  totally  consumed.  The  fire 
originated  in  a  small  barber  shop  some  time 
early  in  the  evening,  and  was  not  discovered 
till  midnight,  when  it  was  found  to  be  entirely 
lieyond  all  control;  but  new  and  better  build- 
ings have  taken  the  place  of  the  old,  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  town  seems  in  no  way  to 
feel  the  effects  of  that  devastating  fltme. 
There  are  now  many  brick  buildings  orna- 
menting the  business  streets,  and  many  more 
are  contemplated  ;  the  future  business  out- 
look seems  very  flattering. 

The  members  of  the  present  village  board 
are  David  Middour,  President;  Myer  Hexter, 
Treasurer  ;  Samuel  Short,  Police  Magistrate  ; 
William  Duke,  Street  Commissioner  ;  John 
Fansher,  Frank  Lohman,  T.  A.  Duey,  Eli  M. 
Wyatt,  John  King,  and  J.  G.  Pearn,  Clerks. 

Schools. — The  founders  of  the  villag-e  of 
Ashland  early  looked  after  the  culture,  char- 
acter and  education  of  their  children.  They 
seemed  to  heartily  indorse  the  idea  of  plac- 
ing them  early  under  the  influences  which 
awaken  their  faculties,  inspires  them  with 
higher  principles,  and  fits  them  to  bear  a 
manly,  useful  and  honorable  part  in  the 
world.     To  take  the  child  in  all  his  ignorance, 


140 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


weakness,  ami  dopen<Jence,  exposed  to  evil 
influences  and  tc'inptations  on  every  hand, 
and  lead  him  through  the  devious  and  danger- 
ous paths  of  childhood  and  youth,  and  finally 
place  him  upon  the  battle-field  of  life,  with 
the  proper  armor  of  truth  and  education,  is  a 
duty  and  a  responsibility  that  no  parent  should 
neglect  or  set  aside  with  indifference  for  the 
purpose  of  economy  or  the  care  of  business, 
for  no  language  can  express  the  folly  of  that 
economy,  which,  to  leave  a  fortune  to  a  child, 
starves  his  intellect  and  impoverishes  his  heart. 

The  citizens  of  Ashland,  mindful  of  these 
weighty  responsibilities,  organized  a  school 
in  18.59,  in  an  old  grocery  building,  near 
where  Mr.  John  Huston  now  resides.  The 
building  had  previously  been  used  for  a  store- 
house, then  a  saloon,  and  finally  metamor- 
phosed into  a  school-room.  Mr.  George 
Coffin  had  the  honor  of  governing  and  teach- 
ing the  first  school  within  the  village  limits. 
He  laid  the  foundation  to  the  present  school 
system,  which,  in  past  years,  has  reflected  so 
much  credit  upon  the  town  and  surrounding 
country.  The  school  was  continued  iiere  till 
the  fall  of  1862,  when  it  was  moved  to  the 
present  site,  or  near  where  the  present  brick 
school  building  stands.  The  school  was  then 
continued  in  the  old  building  till  1866,  when 
the  present  building  of  two  rooms  was  erected. 

The  directors  that  designed  and  directed 
the  work  were  W.  S.  Douglass,  Madison  Dad- 
isman  and  J.  M.  Jones.  But  the  following 
year  tested  the  strength  and  durability  of  the 
walls  ;  quite  a  severe  storm  occurred,  and  the 
upper  portion  of  the  building  was  totally  de- 
stroyed, the  walls  of  the  lower  story  alone  re- 
maining. It  was  not  so  much  in  the  extra- 
ordinary severity  of  the  storm,  as  it  was  in 
the  defect  of  the  masonry  and  architectural 
structure  of  the  building  in  general.  It  was 
poorly  built  and  its  fall  was  only  a  matter  of 
time.  The  community  were  very  fortunate,  for 
there  was  no  s  hool  in  progress,  or   otherwise 


many  scholars  might  have  been  seriously  in- 
jured, if  not  killed. 

The  building  was  at  once  repaired,  and  is 
j^et  in  a  state  of  good  preservation.  Mr.  .fohn 
Full  was  the  first  teacher  in  the  new  brick 
building,  and  did  much  credit  to  himself  in  the 
able  manner  in  which  he  conducted  the  school. 

A  new  building  is  now  in  progress,  the 
cost  of  which  is  estimated  at  $8,000.  The 
citizens  of  Ashland  do  not  propose  to  be  be- 
hind their  neighboring  villages  in  school 
buildings  or  in  general  school  work.  The 
contemplated  building  will  probably  be  the 
finest  and  best  building  in  the  town,  and  no 
pains  or  cost  will  be  spared  to  make  it  one  of 
the  best  schools  of  the  county.  The  di- 
rectors who  have  the  building  in  charge  are 
William  S.  Douglass,  William  M.  Jones  and 
Silas  Hexter.  The  present  teachers  are  John 
Pearn  and  Carrie  Redman. 

Churches.  —  Ashland  M.  E.  Church  was 
first  organized  in  1857,  at  what  was  known  as 
the  Mi;chell  school-house,  one  mile  southwest 
of  the  present  site  of  the  village  of  Ashlaml. 
The  members  that  constituted  the  first  organ- 
ization are  as  follows:  Asel,  Jane,  Ann,  Mary, 
Maria  J.,  Mahala,  and  A.  C.  Douglass,  Samuel 
and  Lavina  Short,  John  L.  Douglass,  Mary 
Holaway,  Thomas  Foxvvorthy,  Andrew  Welch, 
Nancy  and  G.  W.  Foxworthy.  The  first 
minister  that  administered  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  the  settlers,  was  Rev.  W.  J.  Newm  ,n, 
with  Rev.  G.  M.  Crays  as  assistant.  Rev. 
George  Rutledge  was  the  first  presiding 
elder.  The  society  held  irregular  meetings 
at  the  above  named  place  for  several  3'ears. 
A  Sabbath  School  of  some  considerable  inter- 
est was  annually  organized,  and  successfully 
conducted  through  the  year  by  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  Society.  The  meetings  were  usu- 
ally well  attended,  and  the  children  were  well 
represented  in  the  Sabbath  School.  In  1861, 
the  church  was  re-organized  in  Ashland, 
with  the  following  members:  James  and  Sarah 


I 


HISTOUY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


14) 


Cresse,  Asel,  Jane,  Ann,  Mary,  Mahala,  and 
A.  C.  Douo'lass,  J.  Bdycouit,  Basil  Green- 
wood and  wife,  Mary  Boycourt,  Richard  Arn- 
old and  wife,  Mary  Campbell,  George  Coffin 
and  wife,  Jane  High,  John  Townseri,  Charles 
and  George  Zirkle,  Israel,  Mary  and  Cecilia 
Towsen,  Jacob,  Mabel,  and  Margaret  Shuck, 
AVilliam  Bearden,  Samantha  Brcady,  Francis 
Mitchell,  Ellizalieth  Bready  Hathaway,  Leland 
and  Addie  Mitchell,  S.  E.  Beggs,  Trifena 
Greenwood,  William  W.  and  Nancy  J.  Red- 
man, Henry  HoUinshead,  Eliza,  Madison, 
Silva  and  William  Campbell. 

Ashland  had  been  laid  out  but  a  few  years, 
and  a  place  of  meeting  was  with  some  diffi- 
culty secured.  The  first  meetings  were  hold 
in  a  store  or  store  house,  now  owned  by 
Austin  Lewis.  These  were  the  first  religious 
services  held  in  the  village  of  Ashland.  In 
those  first  devotional  Christian  meetings,  dedi- 
cating the  embryo  village  with  its  business, 
with  its  prosperity,  and  with  its  prospects  to 
God,  has  not  been  entirely  without  fruit. 
There  are  many  happy  homes,  happy  wives, 
and  happy  children,  who  owe  their  pleasant 
circumstances  and  surroundings  to  the  social 
and  religious  influences  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Though  there  is  much 
wickedness  in  their  midst,  the  friends  of 
strong  drink  are  numerous;  religion  and  tem- 
perance have  not  the  desired  control,  but 
those  dedicating  prayers  were  heard,  and  will 
yet  be  answered.  "Though  the  mills  of  God 
grind  slowly,  yet  they  grind  exceeding 
small;  though  with  patience  He  stands  wait- 
ing, with  exactness  grinds  He  all." 

The  meetings  were  continued  for  a  time  in 
the  above  named  place;  the  building  being 
needed  for  other  purposes,  the  society  con- 
tinued their  regular  sabbath  services  in  the 
rooms  of  the  hotel,  and  shortly  after  occupied 
the  Ashland  school  house,  where  regular  ser- 
vices were  continued  till  the  present  church 
was  built.     During   the    time    the    meetings 


were  held  in  the  store,  hotel  and  school- house. 
Rev.  Jeremiah  Mitchell  officiated  as  pastor. 

The  present  church  was  built  in  1870,  at  a 
cost  of  $4,000.  It  is  a  handsome  frame  struc- 
ture, built  upon  the  lots  given  to  the  society 
by  the  village  authorities.  It  is  at  present 
the  finest  church  edifice  in  the  precinct.  It 
was  dedicated  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Buck,  who 
preached  a  very  appropriate  and  soul-stirring 
sermon.  The  building  committee  was  made 
up  of  the  following  members  viz.:  James  L. 
Beggs,  Jesse  Newman  and  J.  M.  Jones.  The 
present  trustees  are  Samuel  Hamilton,  Edwin 
Beggs,  Robert  G.  Hewit,  and  W.  W.  Redman. 
The  present  membership  is  70.  The  promi- 
nent pastors  who  have  labored  for  the  spiritual 
interests  of  the  society,  were  E.  K.  Shields,  J.  J. 
Garner,  Wingate  Newman,  G.  Garner,  and  E. 
B.  Randle,  the  latter  being  the  present  pastor. 

A  Sabbath  School  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest  has  been  successfully  kept  up  in  con- 
nection with  the  church  ever  since  its  first 
organization.  At  present  about  100  scholars 
are  in  attendance,  and  M.  F.  Short  is  the 
present  Superintendent.  He  is  a  man  well 
qualified,  and  has  long  been  identified  as  one 
of  the  most  energetic  Sunday  school  workers 
of  the  county. 

The  Church  has  at  times  been  greatly 
strengthened,  and  its  membership  considera- 
bly increased,  by  the  zealous  labors  of  some 
of  its  prominent  pastors.  Perhaps  the  most 
prominent  revival  in  the  history  of  the  Church 
was  that  conducted  by  the  talented  E.  K. 
Shields,  who  in  the  winter  of  1875,  converted 
nearly  one  hundred  persons.  The  town  be- 
came thoroughly  awakened  by  his  stirring  and 
pathetic  appeals;  his  sermons,  though  strong, 
forcible  and  eloquent,  were  touching,  and 
reached  the  heart  of  many  an  erring  sinner. 

The  church  at  present  is  very  prosperous; 
Rev.  Mr.  Randle  is  a  young  man  of  consider- 
able ability,  and  is  earnest  and  untiring  in 
his  ministeral  labors. 


143 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COaNTY. 


Tlie  Ashland  Catholic  Church  was  first 
organized  at  the  residence  of  Martin  Tyes,  in 
February,  1871,  by  the  Rev.  Father  August 
Joseph  Sauer,  and  the  following  members 
with  their  families,  professing  the  Catholic 
faith,  were  present;  Thomas  Guley,  Edward 
Leahy,  Wm.  Kennedy,  John  Martin,  Morris 
Burus,  Cornelius  Hurley,  and  some  others 
whose  names  the  writer  was  not  able  to  ob- 
tain. The  society,  after  being  formally  organ- 
ized, as  above  mentioned,  held  their  next 
meetings  in  the  Ashland  school-house,  where 
they  continued  their  regular  Sabbath  services 
for  nearly  two  years,  when  they  purchased 
two  lots  of  Matthew  Jones,  and  built  a  small 
frame-building,  in  which  the  society  has  held 
its  regular  meetings  till  the  present  time. 
The  capacity  of  this  building  was  too  small  to 
conveniently  accommodate  the  increasing 
membership  of  the  church,  and  in  1880  Rev. 
Father  T.  M.  Hogan  was  appointed  to  the 
charge,  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  the 
prospects  of  building  a  new  church.  He 
found  the  members  not  only  financially  able, 
but  enthusiastic,  willing,  and  ready,  to  enter 
heartily  into  the  work.  Father  Hogan  is  a 
man  of  stirring  energy  as  well  as  talent,  and 
ably  fitted  for  the  work  that  is  now  so 
prosperously  in  progress.  His  first  collection 
in  the  winter  of  1881  amounted  to  $1,800. 
The  fair  in  January,  1882,  under  his  immediate 
supervision,  netted  |il,314,  making  a  total  of 
$3,114  as  a  preparatory  fund  for  beginning 
the  contemplated  church.  Fivj  lots,  located 
in  the  western  portion  of  ihe  town,  were  at 
once  purchased  from  William  Mathers,  at  a 
cost  of  $300,  and  the  work  of  building  imme- 
diately begun.  The  building  was  begun 
May  G,  1882,  and  it  measures  ninety-six  feet 
in  length  and  forty  feet  in  width,  its  spire 
seventy-five  feet  in  height.  It  is  a  frame- 
fitructure,  and  when  completed  will  be  one  of 
the  finest  churches  in  the  county.  Its  cost  is 
estimated  at  85,500. 


The  members  that  constitute  the  building 
committee  are  James  Collins  and  Edward 
Leahy.  Father  Hogan,  however,  personally 
supervises  the  work  and  sees  that  suitable 
material  is  used  and  proper  labor  emplo3-ed. 

The  Church  at  present  has  sixty  members 
as  heads  of  families.  The  pastors  of  the 
Church,  from  the  first  organization  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  are  as  follows:  J.  A.  Sauer,  Michael 
Ryan,  Father  O'Hare,  and  T.  M.  Hogan. 

The  Church  has  a  prosperous  outlook  for 
the  future,  and,  no  doubt,  will  in  time  become 
one  of  the  strongest  and  most  permanent  of  the 
Churches  of  the  country. 

Societies.— Oak  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  341, 
was  first  organized  at  Prentice,  Morgan  Coun- 
ty, Oct.  9,  1867,  and  moved  to  Ashland  Oct. 
10,  1877.  The  members  that  were  most  en- 
ergetic in  originating  the  movement  of  organ- 
izing a  lodge  were  the  charter  members, 
which  are  as  follows,  viz.:  John  L.  Douglass, 
John  M.  Berry,  John  M.  Brockman,  John  W. 
Daniel,  Martin  Berry,  Sumner  Daniel,  Samuel 
Hurt,  Benjamin  Berry,  and   John  W.  Crura. 

The  first  election  of  officers  in  the  order  re- 
sulted in  the  following  choice:  John  M.  Ber- 
ry, N.  G.,  John  Crum,  V.  G.,  John  Brockman, 
Secy.,  Albert  Short,  Treas.,  John  L.  Douglass, 
Warden,  and  John  Daniel,  Conductor.  The 
lodge  meets  every  Tuesday  evening,  and  has 
a  membership  of  twenty- three.  The  present 
officers  are:  David  Middour,  N.  G.,  T.  A. 
Duey,  V.  G.,  Myer  Hexter,  Secy.,  John  L. 
Douglass,  Warden,  Eli  J.  Salsenstein,  Treas., 
Silas  Hexter,  Conductor. 

The  following  members  have  been  honored 
with  the  office  of  Noble  Grand,  viz.  :  John 
L.  Douglass,  Albert  Short,  John  Daniel,  Sum- 
ner Daniel,  Silas  Hexter,  Myer  Hexter,  B.  C. 
Elmore,  Eli  J.  Salsenstein,  T.  A.  Duey,  Wil- 
liam Duke,  and  a  few  others,  whose  names 
could  not  be  obtained.  The  lodge,  though 
not  large,  is  progressive,  and  a  large  member- 
ship is  but  a  matter  of  time. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


143 


CHAPTER    XIY.* 

ARENZVILLE    PRECINCT— ITS    EARLY    HISTORY— THE   THREE   MILE    TERRITORY— EARLS" 
RESIDENCE    OF    THE    SETTLERS— EMIGRANTS    FROM    GERMANY— SCHOOL-HOUSES 
AND  CHURCHES  IN  THE  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS— THE  VILLAGE  OF  ARENZVILLE— 
FIRST  LOTS  SURVEYED— BUSINESS  OF  THE  TOWN— CHURCHES    AND 
SCHOOL-HOUSES    IN    THE   VILLAGES— SOME   OF  THE   PROMI- 
NENT MEN   OF  THE  TIME— FRANCIS  ARENZ,  JOHN  L. 
CIRE,  DR.  GE0H6K  ENGELBACH,  AND  OTHERS- 
MISCELLANEOUS,  ETC.,  ETC. 

IN  order  to  prepare  a  complete  history  of 
the  orecinc-t  of  Arenzville,  it  will  be  nec- 
essary to  refer  to  some  events  which  preceded 
its  organization. 

By  an  act  of  the  legislature,  passed  in 
1837,  it  was  declared  that  the  County  of  Cass 
should  be  one  of  the  counties  of  this  State, 
that  the  county  seat  should  be  located  at 
Boardstown  on  the  public  square,  that  the  cit- 
izens or  corporation  should  raise  ten  thousand 
dollars  to  defray  the  expenses  of  erecting 
public  buildings,  payable  in  one,  two  and 
three  3'ears  from  the  passage  of  the  law  afore- 
said; that  an  election  for  county  officers  should 
be  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  August,  1837; 
that  Thomas  Pogue  and  Dr.  O.  M.  Long,  no- 
taries public  in  Beardstown,  should  open  and 
examine  the  poll  books  in  presence  of  one  or 
more  justices  of  the  peace,  etc. 

This  act  contai  led  in  it  the  germs  from 
which  afterward  bitter  contentions  arose 
about  the  county  seat. 

Cass  County  having  been  formed  from  the 
northern  part  of  Morgan,  this  last  mentioned 
county  had  retained  the  south  halves  of  the 
townships  north  of  the  line,  dividing  town- 
ships Sixteen  and  Seventeen.  This  caused 
considerable  dissatisfaction  among  the  inhab- 
itants of    what   was   generally    called   "the 

•  liy  Judge  J.  A.  Arcnz. 


three-mile  territory,"  because  the  geograph- 
ical situation  of  the  country  and  the  then  ex- 
isting settlements,  were  of  such  nature  as  to 
incline  the  people  to  prefer  to  belong  to 
the  County  of  Cass. 

Arguments  were  futile,  and  it  was  useless 
to  expect  to  obtain  relief  by  means  of  a  new 
election  when  it  was  known  by  everyone 
that  the  county  of  Morgan  could  outvote 
Cass  ten  to  one  upon  any  question  upon 
which  both  might  be  interested. 

Finally  John  W.  Pratt,  the  member  in  the 
legislature  from  Cass,  with  the  assistance  of 
Francis  Arenz,  who  at  that  time  was  one  of 
the  six  members  from  Morgan  and  a  resident 
within  this  three-mile  territory,  succeeded  in 
obtaining  the  passage  of  an  act  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  on  Feb.  26,  1845,  allowing  the 
people  within  said  three  miles  to  decide  by 
their  votes,  at  an  election  to  be  held  on  the 
first  Monday  of  May,  1845,  to  which  county 
they  would  prefer  to  belong.  This  act  further 
provided  that  all  justices  and  constables  in 
Morgan,  who  may  reside  in  this  territory, 
should  hold  their  offices  in  the  county  of 
Cass,  and  for  judges  of  election  at  the  desig- 
nated places  of  voting;  the  following  persons 
were  appointed:  David  Epler,  John  A. 
Arenz  and  Edward  W.  Turner,  at  Arenzville; 
Jacob  Yaples,  George  Petefish  and  Peter  Con- 
over,  at  the  house  of  Henry  Price;  Jonathan 


144 


HISTOUY  OF  (  ASS  COUNTY. 


C.  Bergen,  William  Montgomery  and  Z.  W. 
Gatton,  at  Princeton;  William  Berry,  Alfred 
Dutch  and  John  Miller,  at  the  house  of  Will- 
iam Berry. 

This  election  resulted  in  nearly  a  unani- 
mous vote  for  Cass  County,  only  a  few  dis- 
senting votes  having  been  cast. 

John  A.  Arenz  and  Charles  Coffin,  having 
been  elected  justices  of  the  peace  in  Morgan 
County,  continued  to  hold  their  offices  in  the 
new  precinct  of  Arenzville,  with  the  following 
boundary:  commencing  on  the  line  between 
Morgan  and  Cass  Counties,  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  section  33,  town  17.11,  thence  run- 
ning west  to  the  Illinois  river,  thence  along 
said  river  to  the  dividing  line  between  sec- 
tions 2  and  11,  in  township  17.13,  thence  run- 
ning east  on  said  section  line  to  the  northeast 
corner  of  section  9,  township  17.11,  thence 
south  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  persons  voting  at  Arenzville,  for  or 
against  attaching  the  three-mile  territory  to 
Cass  County,  are  as  follows:  Joseph  Thomp- 
son, Thomas  Thompson,  Jacob  Lawrence, 
John  Altman,  Frederick  Lang,  G.  H.  Rich- 
ards, David  Epler,  William  Taj'lor,  E.  Hardy, 
H.  B.  Dun,  Shad.  Dun,  Henry  Meyer,  Will- 
iam Kimball,  L.  B.  Kimbal,  Thomas  Cook, 
Peter  Light,  Julius  Philippi,  Jacob  Heinz,  Jno. 
Orchard,  James  Jackson,  J.  L.  Cire,  Omar 
Bowyer,  David  Griffin,  James  C.  Robertson, 

D.  Wagner,  Joel  Stewart,  Christ.  Lovekamp, 
Frederick  Brauer,  Charles  Sandman,  W.  H. 
Houston,  Peter  Arenz,  I.  P.  McLane,  Francis 
Mitchell,  J.  Creson,  Goorge  W.  McLane, 
Jep.  Weagle,  Jacob  Epler,  James  New- 
man, George*  McPherson,  Richard  Mathews, 
N.  Carter,  Frederick  Lovekamp,  Henry 
Howell,  Alexander  Ferguson,  Henry  Wede- 
king,  Jacob  Drinkwater,  Frederick  Kilver, 
Sq.  Houston,  H.  Lippert,  James  V.  Pierce, 
Charles  Cooper,  Jeremiah  Cawood,  Joseph 
Houston,  Daniel  Sumner,  Peter  Schaaf,  Elder 
Hardy,  George  A.  Treadway,    Charles  Rob- 


e  rtson,  Christ.  Rahe,  John  Marshall,  Christ 
Grave,  Victor  Krueger,  Henry  Goedeking, 
Philip  Yaeck,  Louis  Boy,  Isaac  Drinkwater, 
Henry  Phelps,  Silas  Miller,  Randal  Miller, 
Thomas  Burnet,  Samuel  Harris,  George  Heg- 
ener,  Henry  Lovekamp,  Frederick  Fricke, 
Daniel  D.  Comstock,  David  Sharp,  Isaac 
Houston,  Adam  Schuman,  Frederick  Wede- 
king,  William  Teilkemeier,  Herman  Love- 
kamp, Frederick  Hackman,  J.  L.  Comstock, 
Daniel  Dun,  Henry  Carls,  John  Carls,  Henry 
Krems,  John  Houston,  William  Hackman, 
William  Meyer,  Herman  Eberwein,  J.  F. 
Skinner,  George  Manuel,  Alexander  Pitner, 
Henry  Detraer,  Joseph  M.  Webster,  George 
Gunther,  John  Thompson,  George  Diehm, 
Henry  Buck,  J.  C.  Carter,  John  James,  Tenna 
James,  Nicholas  Houston,  Theo.  Burchird, 
Isaac  Coy,  Henry  Menke,  Jacob  Menke, 
Frederick  Kummel,  Charles  Merz,  John  Wies, 
John  Doell,  Christ.  Crowell,  John  Masch,  M. 
P.  Bowyer,  V.  G.  Smith,  J.  A.  Arenz,  Joseph 
Thompson,  Joseph  Kircher,  G.  Hackman. 

There  were  also  inhabitants  of  the  Arenz- 
ville Precinct,  who  voted  at  the  house  of 
Henry  Price,  which  was  their  nearest  voting 
place;  among  that  number  were:  Oswell 
Thompson,  Christ.  Crum,  James  Crum,  who 
came  from  Indiana  in  1830,  and  who  is  the 
only  living  person  among  the  first  settlers  in 
that  neighborhood,  and  nearly  76  years  old. 
There  also  voted  Thomas  Fozzart,  John 
Wood,  Charles  Jockisch,  William  Reside, 
Ernest  Fletcher,  David  Wilson,  John  Dobson, 
John  Clark,  William  Nesbit,  Anthony  Boston, 
William  C.  Miller,  L.  C.  Pitner,  Thomas 
Nesbit,  David  Hamacker,  J.  H.  Melone, 
Samuel  McClure  and  others. 

The  residences  of  the  people  at  an  early 
day  were  log  houses,  having  generally  one  or 
two  doors,  one  little  window,  or  none  at  all, 
a  big  fire-place,  and  the  furniture  therein  was 
generally  a  table  or  big  chest,  a  bed  and  a 
a  few  split-bottom  chairs,  which  so  completely 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


145 


covered  the  floor,  that  only  a  few  visitors  at  a 
time  could  ffet  inside  the  house.  The  door 
had  on  such  occasions  to  be  'eft  open,  so  that 
one  could  at  least  see  who  his  next  neighbor 
was.  These  cabins  were  so  open  and  airj-, 
that  in  winter  the  snow  would  blow  through 
the  cracks,  and  in  summer  swarms  of  mosqui- 
toes would  surround  the  sleeper,  and  if  ^he 
party  could  not  afford  the  luxury  of  a  bar,  he 
must  either  have  the  hide  of  an  elephant  or 
be  entirely  insensible  to  pain.  To  scare  off 
mosquitoes,  some  people  made  a  big  fire  of 
weeds  before  their  cabins  in  the  evening,  or 
in  the  fire-place,  and  under  cover  of  the  tre- 
mendous smoke  arising,  under  coughing  and 
sneezing,  the  evenings  were  passed,  and 
thus  the  nights.  Very  early  rising  was  the 
order  of  the  day,  for  as  soon  as  daylight 
faintly  approached,  every  one  hurried  to  leave 
his  bed.  There  was  no  necessity  of  calling 
any  one  to  get  up;  the  flies  would  relieve  the 
mosquitoes  from  duty  and  perform  this  work 
effectually.  In  almost  every  house,  or  in  the 
shed  part  of  the  cabin,  was  found  a  spinning- 
wheel  and  loom,  to  manufacture  the  yarn  and 
weave  the  clothing  and  bedding  for  family 
use.  The  women  were  exclusively  the  manu- 
facturers of  these  useful  things,  and  on  days 
of  gatherings,  or  on  Sundays,  when  people 
assembled  for  church  purposes,  before  the 
service  commenced,  it  was  spoken  of,  how 
many  yards  of  jeans,  linsey-woolsey,  socks, 
etc.,  had  been  manufactured  by  Mrs.  So  and 
So.  The  surplus  of  these  articles  not  used 
for  family  purposes,  were  brought  to  the  stores 
for  sale,  and  jeans,  socks,  knit  gloves  and  mit- 
tens, came  in  such  abundance,  that  the  store- 
keeper could  not  dispose  of  the  same  here, 
and  had  to  ship  them  to  St.  Louis,  then  the 
New  York  of  the  western  country. 

Among  the  early  emigrants  from  Germany, 
were  many  who  had  been  accustomed  to  good 
society,  and  had  enjoyed  the  advantages  of 
superior  education.     Some  held  diplomas  from 


colleges  and  universities.  As  most  Germans, 
they  were  lovers  of  music,  and  some  could 
play  on  one  or  more  musical  instruments. 
The  pioneer  lives  in  a  new  country,  where 
hard  labor,  coupled  with  innumerable  priva- 
tions, without  amusements  of  any  kind,  neces- 
sarily drew  that  class  together,  who  could  not 
bring  themselves  to  the  belief  that  the  only 
aim  and  object  in  life  should  henceforth  be 
devoted  to  hard  work  only,  for  which  they  at 
best  could  only  get  l)oard  and  clothing. 
They  were  generally  called  the  "Latin  farm- 
ers." 

A  club,  or  society  circle  was  formed,  and 
social  gatherings  were  had,  sometimes  at  the 
house  of  one  member,  sometimes  at  another. 
Little  concerts  were  gotten  up,  the  instruments 
being  piano,  violin,  flute,  and  violoncello. 
Dancing  parties  were  occasionally  arranged, 
and  large  hunting  parties.  A  musical  band 
was  afterwards  organized  under  the  leader- 
ship of  a  Mr.  Holtzermann.  Tliis  social  circle 
continued  for  many  years,  until  finally,  when 
the  number  had  increased  to  such  proportion 
that  no  room  was  large  enough  to  liold  them, 
and  some  of  the  original  members  had  by 
death,  or  removal  to  other  parts  of  the  country, 
made  their  places  vacant,  this  very  pleasant 
and  useful  club  came  to  an  end. 

Whenever  an  opportunity  offered  to  play 
some  practical  joke  upon  a  new  comer,  it  was 
eagerly  seized.  One  of  these,  which  caused 
considerable  merriment,  is  herewith  narrated: 
Several  new  emigrants  having  arrived,  some 
of  the  older  settlers  went  with  them  into  the 
prairie,  to  select  a  piece  of  land  for  farming 
purposes.  A  skunk,  or  pole-cat,  was  seen  in 
the  grass,  and  it  was  given  out  that  these 
animals  were  highly  prized  for  their  beauty 
and  valuable  fur,  and  it  ought  to  be  secured 
by  all  means.  To  shoot  it  would  d  image  the 
fur,  as  it  was  alleged.  One  of  these  new 
ones  was  told  to  approach  very  cautiously 
and  cover  it  with  his  hat,  which   ho   adroitly 


146 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


accomplislietl;  but  the  animal  at  that  moment 
squirted  its  perfume  at  him,  some  of  which 
reached  his  face  and  bosom.  The  man  ran 
and  jumped  about,  gesticulating  wildly  witii 
arms  and  body,  vomiting  and  hallowing,  "  Oh 
Lord!  Oh  Lord!"  He  was  asked  what  was 
the  matter,  whether  he  was  sick;  to  which  ho 
replied,  "  Don't  you  smell  that  infernal  stink, 
or  are  your  noses  lined  with  cast  iron?  "  Al- 
though it  was  at  first  pretended  that  no  bad 
smell  was  noticeable,  the  hearty  laughter  of 
some  of  the  party  brought  him  to  realize  that 
a  joke  had  been  practiced  upon  him.  Noth- 
ing could  induce  him  to  take  the  skunk,  which 
had  then  been  shot,  home  with  him.  He 
picked  up  his  hat,  which  was  a  new  one, 
carrying  it  at  arms  length  from  his  body, 
marcliing  sulkily  in  the  rear  of  the  party,  and 
when  Arenzville  was  reached,  the  hat  was 
gone  too — he  had  lost  it  willfully. 

The  hunting  parties  also  furnished  a  great 
many  amusing  incidents.  Game  of  all  de- 
scription, was  found  in  abundance.  The  ponds 
along  Indian  Creek  were,  in  the  spring  and 
fall  at  times  so  covered  with  ducks  that  no 
water  could  be  seen. 

In  the  summer  of  1844,  when  the  river  had 
been  the  highest  ever  known,  the  deer  had 
to  leave  the  low  land  and  retreat  with  their 
young:  to  the  sand-ridges,  which  were  also  sur- 
rounded with  water.  Mr.  William  Carter, 
then  livingnearest  to  the  Illinois  river,  caught 
a  great  many  fawns,  which  he  penned  up,  and 
when  fully  grown,  shipped  them  to  St.  Louis. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  Arenzville  Pre- 
cinct is  upland  and  hilly,  and  from  Arenzville 
to  the  river,  fine  bottom  land,  interspersed 
occasionally  with  sand-ridges.  Indian  Creek 
is  the  main  water  course,  into  which  the 
Prairie  Creek  empties.  The  bottom  lands 
about  Arenzville  were  covered  with  the  finest 
body  of  timber  that  could  be  found  anywhere. 
Od,k,  maple,  sycamore,  backberry  and  walnut 
trees,  were  of  such  gigantic  growth,  that  many 


furnished  three  saw  logs,  from  three  to  four 
feet  in  diameter. 

After  the  population  had  increased,  the 
precinct  was  divided,  and  the  western  part 
was  named  Indian  Creek  Precinct* 

These  precincts  contain  parts  of  Town  17.- 
11,  nearly  all  of  Town  17.12,  and  Town  17.13. 

In  Town  17.11  are  the  following  school- 
houses: 

District  No.  1.  Schoolhouse,  also  a  church 
near  Monroe. 

District  No.  2.  Schoolhouse,  also  a  Ger- 
man Methodist  Church. 

District  No.  3.  Two  schoulhouses  at  Arenz- 
ville, also  three  churches. 

District  No.  4.  One  schoolhouse,  also  a 
Union  church. 

District  No.  5.  Schoolhouse,  near  Spring- 
ger's. 

District  No.  6.     Schoolhouse  near  Mathews. 

District  No.  7.  Schoolhouse  near  Love- 
kamp's. 

Township  17.12. 

District  No.  1.  Schoolhouse  near  Teilke- 
meyer. 

District  No.  2.     Schoolhouse  near  Wagner. 

District  No.  3.  Schoolhouse  near  Thomas 
Wilson. 

District  No.  4.  Schoolhouse  near  A.  Schu- 
man;  also  a  German  Methodist  and  Lutheran 
church. 

Township  17.13. 

District  No.  1.     Schoolhouse. 

District  No.  5.  Schoolhouse  near  H.  Kors- 
meyer;  also  German  Lutheran  church  near 
Korsmeyer,  and  a  Lutheran  church  near  G. 
H.  Jost. 

The  Toton  of  AreuzvHle. — The  first  lots 
wore  survej-ed  by  J.  A.  Arenz  in   1839,  and 


*The  precinct  of  Indian  Creek  was  set  off  from  Arenzville, 
in  1S67,  but  the  history  of  the  two  precincts  (Arenzville  and 
Indian  Creek),  are  so  closely  interwoven,  that  the  one  can 
hardly  be  written  without  the  other,  and  all  the  history  per- 
taining to  Indian  Creek,  wlH  be  lound  in  this  chapter. 
-Ed.] 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


147 


he  also  made  a  survey  of  the  town,  to  be  called 
Arenzviile,  in  1852,  which  plot  was  filed  and 
recorded,  Auafust  3,  1852.  In  1857,  the  ex- 
ecutors of  F.  Arenz,  made  an  addition  to  said 
town,  and  finally  Thomas  V.  Finney  prepared 
a  plot  of  Arenzviile  and  additions,  which  was 
recorded  October  20,  1870,  in  Vol.  31,  page 
364:,  and  adopted  by  the  town  trustees  as  to 
the  limits  of  said  town,  on  Mav  22, 1878,  and 
organizing  the  town  under  the  State  laws. 
The  first  organization  of  the  town  of  Arenz- 
viile occurred  July  9,  1853,  when  the  first 
election  for  town  trustees  was  held.  Of  the 
board  elected,  Francis  Arenz  was  the  Presi- 
dent; Dr.  Julius  Philippi,  Clerk;  Herman  En- 
gelbach,  Treasurer;  John  Goebel,  Supervisor; 
Charles  Heinz,  Town  Constable. 

A  set  of  ordinances  were  adopted. 

The  present  officers  of  the  town  of  Arenz- 
viile, are:  William  L.  McCarty,  President;  L. 
J.  Wallich,  Clerk;  R.  J.  Cire,  Treasurer. 
Town  Trustees:  Joseph  Amtzen,  Christopher 
French,  Daniel  F.  Fischer,  Frederick  Bode, 
and  J.  W.  Swope;  W.  B.  Smith,  Super- 
visor; Henry  Schaefer  and  James  Wood, 
Justices  of  the  Peace  in  the  Arenzviile  Pre- 
cinct; and  Christopher  French  and  Joseph 
Richards,  Constables. 

The  funded  debt  of  the  town  amounts  to 
6*4,000.  Saloon  license  is  fixed  at  ^200,  and 
beer  license  at  |)40  per  annum. 

There  are  in  the  town  of  Arenzviile  eighty 
dwelling  houses,  with  about  five  hundred  in- 
habitants.    The  town  is  in  a  flourishinir  con- 

o 

dition,  and  the  following  mentioned  branches 
of  business  are  carried  on  there: 

Estate  of  Herman  Engelbach — General 
store  of  merchandise,  lumber  yard  and  flour- 
ing mill,  with  five  runs  of  stones  and  a  capac- 
ity of  eighty  bbls.  of  flour  per  day;  also  an 
elevator. 

Hysinger  &  Graham — General  store  of  mer- 
chandise, clothing,  boots  and  shoes.  Sale, 
last  year,  about  $30,000. 


J.  L.  Dyer — General  store  of  merchandize. 

Rigler  &  Shoopman — Grocery  store. 

L.  Adams — Grocery  store. 

Cire  &  Cire — Books,  stationery  and  no- 
tions. 

Swope  &  Yeck — Drugs  and  hardware.. 

William  L.  McCarty  &  William  F.  Arenz— 
Drugs  and  hardware. 

Mrs.  C.  H.  Dahman — Millinery  and  ladies' 
furnishing  goods. 

Mrs.  S.  E.  Cutler — Millinery  and  ladies' 
furnishing  goods. 

George  Weeks — Saloon. 

Edward  Heinz — Saloon. 

Michael  Koerner — Brewery  and  saloon. 

Charles  Rewitz — Shoe  and  boot  maker. 

Henry  Schaefer — Shoe  and  boot  maker. 

Joseph  Richards — Barber. 

Charles  Rewitz,  Jr. — Barber. 

W.  W.  Dickerson — Barber. 

Christopher  French — Blacksmith  and  agri- 
cultural implements. 

John  Rogge — Blacksmith  and  agricultural 
implements. 

William  Dreesbach — Tannery. 

B.  F.  Weeks— Tinner. 

E.  Heinz — Harness  maker  and  saddler. 

H.  F.  Meyer — -Wagon  maker. 

Frederick  Nordsick — Wagon  maker. 

Henry  Joeckel — Wagon  maker. 

G.  F.  Gerbing — Butcher. 

Daniel  Fischer — Carpenter  and  builder. 

C.  W.  Kuechler — Carpenter  and  builder, 
and  paper  hanger  and  painter. 

L.  J.  Wallich — Furniture  and  undertaker. 

M.  B.  Shewsbery — Painter. 

J.  W.  Norton — Painter. 

H.  E.  Rahn — Painter. 

Frederick  Bode — Brick  yard. 

Joseph  Baujan — Brick  yard. 

Adam  Herbert — Mason  and  bricklayer. 

Val.  Herbert — Mason  and  bricklayer. 

Joseph  Herbert — Masou  and  bricklayer. 

Adam  Herbert — Summer  garden. 


148 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


AYilliam  Kraft — Cooper  shop.  ' 

J.  M.  Swope — -Physician. 

John  Dorpat — Physician. 

W.  B.  Rigler — Physician. 

JohnRahn — County  assessor  and  treasurer. 

E.  Heinz — Boarding  house. 

F.  Eastman — Dealer  in  grain. 
HagenerBros. — Dealer  in  grain. 

^  A.  J.  Saylor — Shipper  of  stock. 

Theo.  Launer — Shipper  of  stock. 

L.  J.  Wallich — Notary  Public. 

C.  H.  Condit— Notary  Public. ' 

There  is  also  a  branch  of  the  Peoples'  Bank 
at  Arenzville:  C.  H.  Condit,  Cashier,  and  A. 
J.  Saylor,  Vice  President. 

The  public  school  at  Arenzville  is  visited 
by  about  one  hundred  scholars:  T.  W.  Dyer, 
Principal,  with  one  assistant.  There  is  also 
a  private  school.  The  first  school-house  v^as 
built  in  1839,  and  the  present  public  school- 
house  was  erected  in  18G6.  The  old  school- 
house  was  also  used  for  church  purposes  for 
all  denominations. 

Churches. — In  Arenzville  are  now  three 
churches,  belonging  to  the  following  denomi- 
nations: The  Cumberland  Presbyterians,  the 
Lutherans,  and  Catholics.  The  Presbyterians 
have  at  present  no  regular  minister.  The 
pastor  of  the  German  Lutheran  is  J.  Droge- 
miller,  and  the  Catholics  are  supplied  from 
Beardstown. 

After  the  new  church  had  been  built,  in 
1860,  by  the  citizens  of  Arenzville,  there  was 
a  deficiency  of  funds  to  pay  the  contractor, 
George  Gunther,  and  the  building  was  used 
by  all  denominations,  until  finally  in  1870,  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterians  became  the  owners 
by  paying  the  debt. 

The  first  building  used  for  religious  services 
was  erected  in  1839.  It  was  open  to  all  de- 
nominations on  Sundays,  but  at  all  other 
times  was  devoted  to  school  purposes.  In  the 
year  1844,  a  German  Lutheran  church  was 
in  the  Howell  neighborhood,  an  1  soon  after- 


ward a  German  Methodist  church,  and  in  1870 
a  very  handsome  new  Lutheran  church  was 
erected,  and  the  old  one  used  for  a  school 
house.  R.  G.  Linker  is  the  pastor  of  the 
Lutheran  church,  and  Mr.  Barth  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  About  the  year  1875,  a  Meth- 
odist church  was  built  in  the  neighborhood  of 
L.  D.  Graham's;  also,  five  or  six  years  ago, 
two  German  Lutheran  churches  were  erected 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  farm  of  G.  H.  Jost, 
of  which  Revs.  Bosin  and  Merschroth  are  the 
pastors. 

A  Union  church  was  lately  built  near  the 
farm  of  J.  Melon  e. 

School  Hotises. — Among  the  first  school 
houses  outside  of  Arenzville  was  one  near 
Pitner's  farm,  one  on  the  land  of  George 
Eng-elbach,  and  one  in  the  Skinner  neighbor- 
hood. There  were  also  schools  established  for 
teaching  in  the  winter  in  several  neighbor- 
hoods. Some  person  who  was  able  to  read  or 
write  was  engaged  as  teacher,  and  when  the 
season  for  farm  work  commenced  again,  these 
teachers  hired  themselves  to  farmers. 

An  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge  was  organized  in 
1874,  and  the  Order  of  the  United  Working- 
men  in  187G.  Both  were  organized  by  L.  J. 
Wallich,  who  moved  to  Arenzville  in  1869. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  54  years 
old;  was  also  the  Superintendent  of  the  Union 
Sabbath  School  from  1869  to  the  present 
time,  and  for  many  years  a  Justice  of  the  Peace 
of  the  precinct,  which  office  he  filled  worthily 
and  with  ability. 

Arenzville  is  a  station  on  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  Railroad,  11  miles  south- 
west of  Beardstown. 

At  the  northern  edge  of  the  town  of 
Arenzville  was  a  nice  locust  grove,  wherein 
generally  the  political  meetings  were  held. 
Men,  who  afterwards  became  distinguished 
in  the  State  and  national  councils,  have  made 
speeches  in  this  grove.  Among  the  names 
are  mentioned:  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  Jas.  A, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


149 


McDougal,  John  J.  Hardin,  Newton  Cloud, 
John  Henry,  Richard  Yates,  Murray  McCon- 
nell,  Thos.  M.  Kilpatrick. 

Morgan  County  then  had  two  Senators  and 
four  members  in  the  House.  In  1836  it  was 
customary  that  the  candidates  for  office  of 
both  political  parties,  at  an  appointed  day  and 
place  came  together  to  address  the  people, 
speaking  alternately,  the  bank  and  tariff 
questions  furnishing  the  main  subjects,  the 
speaker's  stand  being  a  large  box  or  a  table. 

At  such  a  meeting,  in  183G,  Mr.  McDougal, 
who  was  somewhat  of  a  dandy,  alwaj'S  neatly 
dressed,  in  his  speech  anathematized  tiieWhig 
party,  calling  the  Whigs  bankworshipers, 
monopolists,  aristocrats,  silk  stocking  gentry, 
etc.  Mr.  Hardin,  who  was  slovenly  in  dress, 
and  cared  nothing  whether  his  shoes  had  any 
strings  to  them  or  not,  and  who  had  taken  his 
seat  on  a  corner  of  the  speaker's  table,  seized 
one  leg  of  Mr.  McDougal,  held  it  up,  point- 
ing out  to  the  crowd  the  fine  prunella  shoes 
and  silk  stockings  which  he  wore,  saying  that 
the  silk  stocking  gentry  strutted  upon  Demo- 
cratic legs,  which  raised  a  tremendous  laugh- 
ter. 

The  first  funeral  at  Arenzville  was  that  of 
John  Fuschka.  He  was  an  old  bachelor 
without  any  living  relatives,  had  drifted 
about  in  the  world  from  place  to  place,  never 
receiving  kind  words  or  treatment,  as  he  told 
it,  until  he  came  to  Arenzville,  and  found  em- 
ployment with  Francis  Arenz.  By  industrv 
and  frugal  habits  he  had  saved  his  wages  and 
acquired  possession  of  eighty  acres  of  good 
land  near  the  town.  His  last  will  and  testa- 
ment was  writen  by  J.  A.  Arenz,  to  whom  he 
offered  to  bequeath  one  half  of  his  land,  and 
the  other  half  to  his  brother  Francis.  It  was 
pointed  out  to  him,  that  neither  of  them  need- 
ed any  such  gift,  and  that  he  would  perform  a 
generous  act  of  benevolence,  and  perpetuate 
his  memory,  by  bequeathing  his  farm  to  the 
school   at  Arenzville,  to  which  he  cheerfully 


assented.  Mr.  Fuschka  was  not  captivating 
in  appearance,  small  in  size,  but  he  possessed 
a  large  soul,  full  of  honesty  and  trustworihi- 
ness.  The  citizens  of  Arenzville  should  honor 
his  grave  and  remember  his  generosity.  The 
farm  is  now  cultivated  by  Casper  Becker,  and 
the  annual  rent  goes  to  the  school  fund. 

John  L.  Cire  came  with  Henry  Kircher, 
Frederick  Diekel,  Charles  Coupor,  Dr.  Engel- 
bach,H.Lij)pert,  and  others,  in  the  latter  part  of 
1834,  having  finished  his  education  in  the 
seminary  at  Fulda.  He  built  the  first  frame 
house  in  Arenzville,  where  he  kept  a  little 
store,  increasing  his  business  from  time  to 
time,  as  circumstances  would  permit.  He 
was  Postmaster,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Town 
and  School  officer,  for  many  years.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  in  18S1,  he  held  the  office 
of  County  Assessor  and  Treasurer,  to  which 
he  had  been  elected  for  the  second  time.  He 
left  seven  cliildrpn. 

Dr.  George  Engelbach  came  here  in  1831, 
and  bought  the  farm  of  Peter  Taylor,  where 
he  resided  till  his  death,  in  1811.  By  pro- 
fession he  was  a  doctor  of  medicine,  but  gave 
up  his  practice  and  devoted  his  energies  to 
fanning.  Having  lost  his  wife  by  death,  he 
brought  with  him  to  this  country  his  only 
child,  a  boy  about  four  years  of  age,  named 
Herman,  and  his  aunt  Link.  Although  un- 
used to  farming,  by  his  iron  will  and  industry 
he  became  in  time  a  pretty  good  farmer. 

In  1810,  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
County  Commissioner  of  Morgan  County, 
which  place  he  filled  with  honor  to  himself, 
and  the  approval  of  the  people.  He  was  the 
only  person  of  the  so  called  "  Latin  farmers" 
who  held  out,  all  the  others  having  arrived 
at  the  knowledge  that  farming  was  not  profit- 
able or  pleasant,  in  the  long  run,  and  had 
chosen  other  employments. 

At  the  death  of  Dr.  Engelbach,  his  son  was 
left  under  the  care  of  Henry  Kircher,  as  his 
guardian,  and  exceedingly  well  and  faithlul 


150 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


was  this  trust  performed.  Young  Encrelbach 
received  a  very  good  education,  and  when  he 
had  become  of  age,  he  made  a  trip  to  Europe, 
visiting  his  relatives  there.  Upon  his  return, 
in  1853,  he  associated  himself  with  Peter 
Arenz,  and  they  bought  the  mill,  store,  and  a 
tract  of  land  of  Francis  Arenz,  and  did  a 
very  successful  business  until  1859,  when 
that  firm  was  dissolved,  and  H.  Engelbach 
carried  on  the  business  thereafter  in  his  own 
name,  until  his  deatli,  on  December  16,  1880, 
caused  by  being  caught  in  the  machinery 
of  his  elevator. 

He  was  a  very  honorable  man,  of  exceeding- 
ly industrious  habits,  never  idle  forone  moment 
from  morning  till  night.  He  left  a  widow  with 
s  X  children,  and  a  considerable  estate. 

In  the  board  of  town  trustees  he  has  filled 
for  several  years  the  offices  of  President  or 
Clerk. 

Francis  Arenz  was  born  in  Blankenbr!rg, 
Province  of  the  Rhein,  Prussia,  Oct.  31,  1800. 
While  yet  very  young  he  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business,  and  in  1827  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  making  his  home  for  two 
years  in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  following  the 
business  of  merchandising.  In  the  vear 
1829,  he  went  to  Galena,  Illinois,  and  was 
for  a  short  tims  engaged  in  the  lead  trade, 
and  then  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he  again 
followed  the  business  of  merchandizing  and 
dealing  in  real  estate.  He  very  soon  foresaw 
that  Beardstown,  on  account  of  its  favorable 
situation  and  surroundings,  was  destined  to 
have  a  prosperous  future,  and  used  ever}' 
means  in  his  power  to  draw  attention  to  this 
place  and  invite  emigration.  Ho  expected  t\\i 
best  mode  to  accomplish  this  purpose  to  be  the 
establishment  of  a  newspapor,  and  he  accord- 
ingly, in  1834,  commenced  the  publication  of 
The  £eardsioien  Chronicle  and  Illinois 
J3onnty  Land  Advertiser^  of  which  he  became 
the  editor  and  proprietor,  with  John  B.  Fulks, 
as  publisher.       This  paper  was  then  the  only 


newspaper  west  of  Jacksonville  and  Spring- 
field. It  could  not  be  expected  that  at  this 
early  day  such  an  undertaking  would  prove 
profitable,  and  having  been  published  for 
nearly  two  years  at  considerable  loss,  its  pub- 
lication was  abandoned,  after  having  accom- 
pliahed,  however,  its  object.  Beardstown,  a 
very  good  landing  point  on  the  Illinois  River, 
had  become  the  port  of  entry  for  all  the  goods 
designed  for  Springfield,  Petersburg,  Rush- 
ville,  McComb,  and  other  places,  and  from 
here  were  also  shipped  the  pioduce  and  pork 
of  the  surrounding  towns  and  country. 
Heavy  loaded  teams  with  merchandise  and 
produce,  could  daily  be  seen  on  the  roads 
leading  to  and  from  Beardstown,  and  there 
was  no  point  in  the  ^Yest  where  more  hogs 
were  slaughtered  than  here. 

Durino-  the  Black  Hawk  war,  Beardstown 
was  the  general  rendezvous  for  the  State 
troops,  and  Mr.  Arenz  furnished  supplies  for 
the  army  at  the  request  of  Gov.  Reynolds, 
and  also  a  portion  of  the  arras,  which  had  been 
purchased  by  Arenz,  and  originally  destined 
for  the  South  America  service. 

New  roads  were  surveyed  and  opened,  and 
the  plan  was  conceived  by  Mr.  Arenz,  that 
the  construction  of  a  canal  from  Beardstown 
to  the  Sangamon  River,  to  a  place  called 
Miller's  Ferry,  and  then  by  slackwater  naviga- 
tion to  continue  to  the  neighborhood  of 
Springfield,  whereby  also  the  bottom  lands  of 
the  Sangamon  valley  would  become  drained 
and  useful  for  agricultural  purposes,  would  be 
of  great  benefit  to  Beardstown. 

An  act  of  the  Legislature  was  obtained  in 
1836,  for  the  incorporation  of  the  BearJstown 
and  Sangamon  Canal  Company,  of  which 
company  Mr.  Arenz  was  elected  President, 
and  Dr.  O.  M.  Long,  Secretary  and  Treasurer; 
William  Pollock,  as  Engineer,  and  John  A. 
Arenz,  as  Assistant  Engineer,  commenced  the 
survey  on  September  1, 1836,  and  in  December 
following  a  very  favorable  report  was  niade  ; 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


151 


but  for  want  of  sufficient  means  and  on  account 
of  the  hard  times  soon  following,  this  project 
failed. 

The  citizens  of  Beardstown  and  the  north- 
ern portion  of  Morgan  County  had  become 
aware  that  their  interest  would  be  better 
promoted  by  a  separation  from  Morgan,  be- 
cause every  public  improvement,  and  partic- 
ularly the  contemplated  railroad,  running 
from  Springfield,  by  Jacksonville  to  Quincy, 
which  in  their  opinion,  ought  to  have  been 
located  by  the  way  of  Beardstown,  being  the 
nearest  and  best  route  between  Sprinarfield 
and  Quincy. 

Morgan  had  at  that  time  six  and  Sangamon 
nine  members  in  the  Legislature,  and  the  two 
counties  combined,  could  carry  most  any 
measure,  and  Jacksonville  and  not  Beards- 
town, would  be  the  recipient  of  its  benefits, 
for  all  the  members  from  Morgan  were  either 
citizens  of  Jacksonville  or  vicinity.  For 
these  and  other  reasons,  a  division  of  the 
county  was  agitated,  and  continued  until  1837, 
when  the  county  of  Cass  was  formed.  In  all 
these  matters  Mr.  Arenz  was  the  leader  and 
main  worker.  In  the  year  1835,  he  gave  up 
his  mercantile  business  in  Beardstown,  and 
took  up  his  residence  on  his  farm,  about  six 
miles  southeast  of  Beardstown,  which  he 
named  "  Recluze."  Here  he  had  a  house 
built,  which  had  a  good  sized  room  in  the 
center,  surrounded  by  shed  rooms  and  a 
porch.  It  was  covered  by  shingle  roof,  weath- 
er-boarded and  painted,  and  was  built  on 
the  brow  of  a  high  hill,  near  the  edge  of 
the  timber,  commanding  a  very  fine  view. 
It  was  certainly  the  hottest  jilace  in  the 
summer  and  the  coldest  in  winter,  and  the 
house  appeared  from  a  distance  very  much 
like  a  good  sized  tent.  Here  he  resided  un- 
til 1S39,  when  he  made  his  permanent  home 
at  Arenzville. 

In  1833  he  had  purchased  of  a  Mr.  Smart, 
who  had  a  little  mill  on  Indian   Creek,  that 


mill  and  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Section  31, 
Township  17,  North  of  Range  11  West, 
where  now  Arenzville  is  situated. 

Indian  Creek  forms  here  a  considerable 
bend,  and  to  increase  the  volume  of  water,  a 
large  ditch  was  cut  between  said  bend,  and 
at  the  upper  end  a  dam  was  constructed.  A 
new  saw  mill  was  built  on  said  ditch,  Mr.  John 
Savage,  afterward  Sheriff  of  Cass  County,  be- 
ing the  builder.  It  was  a  diflicult  matter  to 
keep  up  the  dam,  which  was  constructed  of 
timber  and  earth,  no  stone  being  at  hand. 
The  soil  being  rich  and  alluvial,  the  lainks, 
musk-rats  and  crawfish  would  in  some  way 
undermine  or  work  around  the  edges  of  the 
dam,  so  that  at  times  of  high  water  it  would 
be  damaged  or  carried  away  entirely,  which 
required  the  time  of  low  water  for  making 
repairs. 

"When  the  timber  yielding  saw-logs  had 
been  consumed,  the  saw-mill  was  turned  into 
a  flouring  mill  and  rebuilt  ;  but  the  dam  still 
proved  a  failure,  until  finally  steam  power 
was  applied.  These  drawbacks  would  have 
discouraged  most  men,  but  not  him,  although 
he  had  several  times  either  sold  or  leased  the 
property,  but  it  always  came  back  to  his 
hands,  like  counterfeit  money. 

Mr.  Arenz  wa,s  pretty  successful  in  his 
many  enterprises,  but  in  the  milling  business 
he  proved  to  be  a  complete  failure,  and  by  it 
sunk  a  great  deal  of  money. 

In  1838  he  engaged  also  in  the  mercantile 
business,  and  took  in  partnership  his  brother, 
J.  A.  Arenz,  and  the  name  of  the  firm  was  F. 
Arenz  &  Co.  This  partnership  continued  for 
about  six  years,  when  his  brother  withdrew 
from  the  firm.  Finally  in  1853  ho  solil  the 
mill  and  store  with  a  tract  of  land,  to  Herman 
Eiigelbach  and  Peter  Arenz,  in  whose  hands 
the  concern  proved  very  profitable. 

It  seemed  to  be  a  great  relief  to  Mr.  Arenz, 
when  he  got  rid  of  his  business  and  obtained 
more  leisure  time  for  other  matters.     Tie  was 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


very  often  absent  from  home,  attending  meet- 
ings of  all  sorts,  having  an  object  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  country.  He  was  very  fond 
of  politics  and  a  member  of  the  Whig  party. 
He  liked  company,  was  of  a  very  generous 
and  social  disposition,  and  his  house  was 
scarcely  ever  without  visitors.  There  was  no 
session  of  the  legislature,  when  he  failed  to 
go  to  the  capita]  of  the  State,  to  be  on  hand 
whenever  anything  could  be  accomplished  for 
the  benefit  of  Cass  County.  He  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  leading  men  of  the  State, 
and  many  of  them  were  his  warm  friends. 

In  1852  he  was  the  bearer  of  dispatches 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  United  States,  to 
the  embassadors  at  Berlin  and  Vienna.  He 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  State  Agri- 
cultural Society  at  Sjiringfield,  on  .lanuary  5, 
1853,  and  was  elected  one  of  its  vice-presid- 
ents, which  position  he  continued  to  hold  to 
time  of  his  death. 

He  also  organized,  on  January  5,  1855,  the 
Cass  County  Agricultural  Society,  and  was 
elected  president  thereof. 

Men  of  the  stamp  and  character  of  Francis 
Arenz,  gifted  with  power  to  look  ahead,  and 
shaping  matters  for  paving  the  way  to  accom- 
plish praiseworthy  results,  have  to  encounter 
and  overcome  a  great  many  obstacles;  such 
men  necessarily  have  and  gain  many  friends, 
but  they  will  also  have  envious,  bitter  enemies. 
This  was  also  the  case  with  him. 

Mr.  Arenz  died  April  3,  1856. 

Tiie  executive  committee  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Society,  then  in  session  at  Spring- 
field, adopted  April  3,  1850,  the  following 
resolutions  : 

Jiesolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Francis  Arenz, 
late  member  of  this  board,  it  lost  a  co-worker, 
kind,  courteous  and  able,  and  always  in  his 
place;  the  society,  one  of  its  most  talented, 
energetic  and  ardent   friends;  the  State  and 


community  at  large,  one  of  its  most  honor- 
able, respected,  and  revered  citizens;  and 
that  while  we  bow  in  humble  humility  and 
awe  before  Almighty  God,  we  tender  our 
most  sincere  and  heartfelt  sj^mpathies  to  the 
family  and  friends  of  the  deceased,  hoping 
that  their  loss  and  our  loss  is  his  gain. 

liesolved.  That  a  copy  of  these  proceedings 
be  sent  to  the  family  and  friends  of  the  de- 
ceased, to  the  Prairie  Farmer,  and  to  the 
papers  in  Beardstown,  Jacksonville  and 
Springfield,  with  the  request  that  the  same  be 
inserted  in  the  papers  indicated. 

There  are  now  eight  children  of  Mr.  Arenz 
living,  four  boys  and  four  daughters,  all  of 
whom  are  married. 

Among  the  men  who  contributed  their 
share  to  the  development  of  the  town  of 
Arenzville,  must  be  mentioned  the  firm  of 
Kircher  &  Goedeking. 

Mr.  Jos.  Kircher  came  in  1834.  He  had 
received  a  collegiate  education,  and  settled  on 
a  farm  near  Arenzville.  When  some  years 
afterwards  Mr.  Henry  Goedeking  arrived,  he 
took  up  his  residence  on  the  same  farm.  Mr. 
Goedeking  was  a  native  of  Berlin,  Prussia, 
where  his  father  was  an  officer  of  the  royal 
mint. 

After  farming  a  few  years,  they  arrived  at 
the  conclusion  that  such  employment  was 
neither  suitable  nor  profitable  for  them,  and 
they  moved  to  Arenzville  and-  engaged  in 
mercantile  business.  About  five  or  six  years 
afterward  they  took  up  their  permanent  res- 
idence at  Belleville,  Ills.,  where  they  estab- 
lished a  hardware  business.  Mr.  Goedeking  ' 
became  Mayor  of  Belleville,  and  died  some 
years  ago,  never  having  been  married.  Mr. 
Kircher  is  still  living  and  is  the  father  of  five 
children,  honored  and  loved  by  all  who  are 
acquainted  with  him. 


Hd/t^yyT--^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


155 


CHAPTER  XY. 

PRINCETON  PRECINCT— GENERAL  DESCRIPTION— BOUNDARIES,   TOPOGRAPHY  AND  SUR- 
FACE   FEATURES-THE    EARLY  SETTLEMENT— PIONEER  HARDSHIPS— FIRST   MILL 
AND  OTHER   IMPROVEMENTS— WALNUT  GROVE    SCHOOL- HOUSE— PRESENT 
SCHOOLS— CHURCHES— OLD  PRINCETON,  AND  ITS  BUSINESS  ENTER- 
PRISE-LITTLE INDIAN  VILLAGE. 


A3  we  travel  along  the  highways  that  trav- 
erse this  beautiful  section  of  Cass 
County,  it  is  difficult  to  realize  that  scarcely 
half  a  century  ago  these  luxuriant  plains  were 
peoj)led  by  a  few  wandering  savages  and 
formed  part  of  a  vast,  unbroken  wild,  wliich 
gave  but  little  promise  of  the  high  state  of 
civilization  it  has  since  attiined.  Instead  of 
the  primitive  log  cabin  and  diminutive  board 
shanty,  we  see  dotting  the  land  in  all  direc- 
tions comfortable  and  eh-gant  mansions  of 
the  latest  stylos  of  architecture,  graceful,  su'i- 
stantial  and  convenient.  We  see  also  the 
bosom  of  the  country  decked  with  churches 
of  all  religious  denominations,  and  well-built 
school-houses  at  close  intervals.  The  fields 
are  laden  with  the  choicest  cereals,  pastures 
are  all  alive  with  numerous  herds  of  the  finest 
breeds  of  cattle,  and  other  stock  of  improved 
quality,  while  everything  bespeaks  the  thrift 
and  prosperity  with  which  the  farmer  in  this 
fertile  division  of  the  county  is  blessed. 

Princeton  Precinct  lies  on  the  Southern 
border  of  the  county,  and  is  one  of  the  smallest 
divisions,  containing  scarce  fifteen  sections  or 
square  miles;  and  a  story  told  of  the  State  of 
Rhode  Island,  may  be  applied  to  Princeton; 
that  when  the  people  wish  to  communicate 
with  each  other,  they  do  not  write  letters  or 
send  messages,  but  go  out  in  the  yard  and  call 
to  them.  Although  small  in  extent,  it  is  in 
many  respects,  one  of  the  best  precincts  in 
the  county.  Virginia  and  Philadelphia  Pre- 
cinct bound  it  on  the  North,  Philadelphia  lies 


on  the  East,  Morgan  County  is  its  Southern 
boundary,  and  Virginia  Precinct,  a  narrow 
strip  of  which  extends  to  the  south  line  of  the 
county,  bounds  it  on  the  West.  It  lies  in 
township  seventeen,  and  in  ranges  nine  and 
ten.  Little  Indian  Creek  is  its  only  water 
course  of  any  note,  and  flows  southwest, 
through  a  corner  of  the  precinct.  The  land 
lies  well,  and  is  all  susceptible  of  cultivation, 
and  when  first  seen  by  white  people,  contained 
much  valuable  timber,  as  well  as  prairie  land. 
The  Peoria,  Pekin  and  .lacksonville  Railroad, 
now  a  divison  of  tiie  Wabash  system,  traverses 
it  from  north  to  south  almost  throuffh  the 
center,  with  one  station.  Little  Indian,  in  the 
precinct,  from  which  much  stock  and  grain 
are  annually  shipped. 

Among  the  earliest  settlements  in  Cass 
County,  made  by  white  people,  was  that,  in 
what  now  forms  Princeton  Precinct.  From 
old  Kentucky,  that  famous  land  of  blue  grass, 
fine  stock,  pretty  women  and  good  whisky, 
came  the  pioneers  of  this  portion  of  the  coun- 
ty. They  were,  so  far  as  we  could  learn, 
Jesse  AUard,  Nathan  Coinpton,  James  Tilford, 
James  Stevenson,  Jacob  Lorance,  Samuel 
Montgomery,  Thomas  Gatton,  William  Con- 
over,  Alexander  Beard,  Isaac  Mitchell,  John 
Epler,  and  others.  These  families,  with  one 
or  two  exceptions,  were,  as  we  said,  from  Ken- 
tucky, and  came  hither  in  the  usual  pioneer 
style,  on  horseback,  in  wagons  drawn  by 
oxen,  and  even  on  foot.  Some  had  left  homes 
of   affluence  behind   them,  others  were  poor. 


l.JU 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  all  came  for  the  purpose  of  bettering 
their  condition,  and  laying  up  something  for 
that  proverbial  rainy  day.  Mr.  Allard  came 
about  the  year  1830,  and  settled  on  the  place 
now  owned  by  Philip  Buracher,  of  Virginia; 
Nathan  Compton  arrived  previous  to  18"28, 
and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  school  teachers. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  Bergens, 
bought  a  farm,  but  sold  out  afterward,  and 
moved  to  Schuyler  County.  Tilford  located, 
in  18;J7,  on  the  place  now  owned  by  William 
Black,  in  Walnut  Grove  timber,  township 
seventeen,  range  nine.  He  sold  out  in  1840, 
and  moved  away.  James  Stevenson,  with 
five  grown  sons,  Wesley,  James,  William, 
Robert  and  Augustus,  came  in  1839,  and 
bought  land  of  Thomas  Gatton,  who  had  pre- 
ceded him  several  years,  and  had  taken  up 
land  in  section  twenty-six,  township  seven- 
teen. He  was  from  Maryland,  but  had  resid- 
ed in  Kentucky  several  years  before  coming 
to  Illinois.  He  opened  one  of  the  first  stores 
■within  the  present  limits  of  Cass  County,  and 
was  long  a  prominent  business  man.  He  has 
a  son,  Z.  W.  Gatton,  residing  in  Virginia, 
who  for  years  has  been  identified  with  the 
town. 

Mr.  Stevenson  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  liki;  Mr.  Gatton,  had  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tuckj'  in  the  pioneer  period  of  the  dark  and 
blood)'  ground,  where  he  was  forced  to  con- 
tend with  the  Indians  for  his  very  life.  He 
bought  land,  as  already  stated,  from  Thomas 
Gatton,  upon  which  he  settled  and  upon 
which  he  died  in  1851,  at  the  age  of  ?4  years. 
His  son,  William  Stevenson,  now  lives  on  the 
place  and  is  noticed  in  another  chapter,  as 
one  of  the  most  extensive  breeders  of  short 
horn  cattle  in  this  section  of  the  State.  Lor- 
ance  was  originally  from  North  Carolina,  but 
like  hundreds  of  other  early  settlers  in  South- 
ern Illinois,  ha,  had  stopped  for  a  time  in 
Kentucky.  He  located  on  North  Prairie,  on 
section  25,  township  17  and  range  10,  on  the 


place  now  owned  by  Wm.  Hemerron,  who 
also  lives  on  it.  Mr.  Lorance  has  one  son  still 
living  in  this  region.  Montgomery  was  from 
Adair  County,  Ky.,  and  came  here  in  1839, 
locating  on  section  30,  township  17,  on  the 
place  where  his  son  now  lives.  John  Epler 
came  here  from  Clark  County,  Ind.,  about 
the  year  1831-32.  In  another  department 
will  be  found  an  extensive  sketch  of  the  Ep- 
ler family,  and  anything  said  here  would  be 
hut  a  repetition.  Mr.  Conover  settled  at 
Walnut  Grove  in  1832,  on  the  place  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  George  Virgin.  Beard  set- 
tled here  in  182G,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
his  son,  George  Beard,  of  Virginia.  Isaac 
Mitchell  was  from  Logan  County,  Ky.,  and 
settled  on  the  place  in  1837,  where  Robert 
Taylor  now  lives. 

Other  pioneer  settlers  in  township  17  and 
range  10,  and  many  of  whom  were  in  what  is 
now  Princeton  Precinct,  were  Peter  Conover, 
Jacob  Yaples,  John  Dorsey,  a  man  named 
Chambers,  George  Bristow,  a  widow  Cantrel, 
a  widow  Richardson,  and  Thomas  Hanby. 
These  were  all  among  the  earliest  settlers  in 
this  region,  and  some  of  them  will  be  further 
mentioned  in  the  history  of  Philadelphia  Pre- 
cinct. A  few  years  later  the  "  Imlian  Creek 
Settlement,"  as  it  was  called,  and  a  part  of 
which  still  remains  in  Morgan  County,  and  in 
the  edges  of  Virginia  and  Philadelphia  Pre- 
cincts, was  further  augmented  by  the  arrival 
of  the  following  pioneers:  Jacob  Epler,  John 
Hiler,  Charles  Beggs,  a  man  named  Nancesy, 
Rev.  John  Biddlecome,  William  Kinner,  a 
widow  named  Pratt,  with  four  stalwart  sons, 
and  several  more,  whose  names  are  forgotten. 
The  first  of  these  pioneers  settled  in  the  tim- 
ber, avoiding  the  prairie  as  they  would  a 
desert.  It  was  not  until  all  the  timber-land 
had  been  taken  up  that  emigrants  began  to 
venture  out  on  the  prairies.  Single  families 
tried  it  at  first,  then  they  came  in  groups  of 
three  or  four,  locating   at   difi"erent   places, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUXTY. 


157 


until  soon  the  prairie  was  thickly  dotted  with 
pioneer  dwellings.  Soon  school  houses  were 
built,  churches  were  organized,  mills  were 
erected,  and  the  foundation  laid  for  a  pros- 
perous community,  where  shortly  before  had 
been  a  desert-prairie  and  wilderness.  This 
remarkable  development  has  been  brought 
about  within  a  comparatively  short  time,  for 
looking  back  through  the  vista  of  fifty  odd 
years,  these  broad  plains  were  the  grazing 
places  of  numerous  herds  of  wild  denizens 
of  the  forest  and  prairie,  and  the  camping- 
ground  of  savages.  Now  the  rich  soil  is 
broken  everywhere,  woods  have  fallen,  pleas- 
ant drives,  well-tilled  fields,  beautiful  orchards 
and  delightful  homes,  checker  the  view,  speak- 
ing volumes  for  the  enterprise  of  the  pioneers 
of  this  portion  of  the  county. 

The  people  in  the  early  days  lived  in  the 
most  frugal  manner — corn  bread  and  wild 
meat  being  the  principal  diet  during  the 
first  years.  The  clothing  was  cheap,  and 
that  for  both  sexes  was  made  at  home  by  the 
pioneer  mothers,  who  were  no  more  afraid  of 
work  than  their  husbands.  In  the  words  of 
Eugene  Hall — 

"  They  worked  with  the  spindle,  they  toiled   at   the 
loom, 
Nor  lazily  brought  up  their  babies  by  hand;" 

and  all  members  of  the  household,  male  and 
female,  men,  women  and  children,  were 
usually  employed  in  some  part  of  the  manu- 
facture of  this  family  clothing.  It  is  still  a 
mystery  how  the  people  lived  and  prospered 
in  those  early  days.  The  manner  of  cultivat- 
ing the  crops  was  so  simple,  the  tools  so  dif- 
ferent and  rude,  and  the  distance  to  market 
so  great,  and  the  prices  so  incredibly  low, 
that  we  wonder  how  any  one,  even  with  the 
strictest  economy,  could  prosper  at  all.  The 
farmers  of  to-day,  who  have  reduced  agricul- 
ture to  a  science,  and  cultivate  their  lands  al- 
most entirely    by  machinery,  know  little  of 


what  that  same  work  required  here  fifty  or 
sixty  years  ago.  The  farmer  now  would 
expect  to  starve  if  he  had  to  sell  his  corn 
at  from  six  and  a-half  to  twelve  and 
a-half  cents  per  bushel,  and  wheat  for  twenty- 
five  cents,  and  haul  it  to  St.  Louis  or  Chicago, 
even  at  those  figures.  But  times  have 
changed,  and  the  world,  or  the  people  who 
inhabit  it,  have  grown   both   older  and  wiser. 

The  emigrant,  when  he  locates  in  a  new 
country,  generally  thinks  of  a  mill,  as  the  first 
improvement.  He  can  do  without  fine  clothes 
and  many  other  luxuries,  but  he  can  not  get 
along  very  well  without  bread.  The  first  mill 
of  which  we  have  any  reliable  account,  was 
built  by  John  Epler,  and  was  of  the  most 
unique  and  primitive  style.  This  mill  was 
run  by  horse  power,  but  geared  in  a  peculiar 
manner.  Mr.  Epler  had  cut  off  smoothly,  a 
stump,  into  which  he  bored  a  hole.  Upon 
this  he  fastened  a  shaft,  which  had  a  wheel  at 
the  other  end,  running  upon  a  circular  plat- 
form, and  from  this  singular  arrangement  a 
shaft  extended,  which  operated  the  mill.  It 
was  a  great  benefit  to  the  community,  and 
people  came  from  the  Sangamon  country, 
camping  all  night,  in  order  to  secure  the  first 
turn  in  the  morning.  With  a  good  team  the 
buhrs  would  grind  from  one  to  two  bushels 
of  corn  per  hour.  This  was  the  way  the 
pioneers  had  of  getting  their  bread.  "  In  the 
sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat  bread,"  was  a 
text  they  could  all  appreciate.  But  other 
mills  were  built  in  the  neighborhood  as  the 
increasing  population  demanded,  and  this 
trouble  of  procuring  meal  was  forever  set  at 
rest. 

The  first  school  house  in  the  precinct,  and, 
in  fact,  in  all  that  region  of  country,  was  a  log 
building,  about  18x20  feet,  of  the  usual  pioneer 
type,  and  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1833.  In 
this  old  log  school  house,  where  the  floor 

"Was  naked  earth,  with  weight-pole  roof. 
That  seldom  proved  quite  water-proof; 


158 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


With  slabs  for  seats,  with  rough  split-pegs, 
In  two-incli  auger-holes,  for  legs," 

the  youth  of  the  neighborhooJ  learned  their 
A  B  C's.  It  was  constructed  mostly  of  bass 
wood,  and  finally  was  treated  to  a  plank  floor, 
a  shingle  roof,  and  was  heated  by  a  stove,  the 
first  stove  ever  in  this  part  of  the  county.  It 
was  known  far  and  wide  as  Walnut  Grove 
schoolhouse,  in  consequence  of  standing  near 
a  ))ody  of  walnut  timber,  on  section  tliirty-one, 
township  seventeen,  and  range  ten.  Joel  C. 
Robins<in  was  one  of  the  first  teachers  in  it; 
he  taught  there  in  1835-.36,  and  afterward  went 
to  Kentucky,  near  Louisville,  where  he  was 
shot  in  a  difficulty  with  a  pupil.  Among  those 
who  attended  at  this  old  school  house,  were 
the  children  of  Samuel  Montgomery,  John 
Epler,  Isaac  Mitchell,  Jacob  Lorance,  James 
Stevenson,  Nathan  Compton,  Charles  Beggs, 
and  oth-ers.  The  house  stood  and  was  occu- 
pied for  school  purposes  until  June,  1844, 
when  it  was  blown  down  in  a  wind  storm. 
Previous  to  this,  however,  other  school  houses 
had  been  erected  in  the  precinct,  and  the  loss 
of  this  pioneer  relic  was  not,  after  all,  a  serious 
backset  to  the  cause  of  education. 

School  houses  now  dot  the  country  through- 
out the  precinct,  and  the  facilities  for  receiving 
a  good  common  school  education  are  excel- 
lent. For  the  usual  term  each  year,  good 
schools  are  taught  by  competent  teachers, 
and  every  means  employed  to  furnish  knowl- 
edge to  the  masses. 

The  first  church  building  erected  in  the 
precinct  of  Princeton,  was  at  the  village  of 
Old  Princeton,  in  1835,  and  was  Missionary 
Baptists.  Afterward  a  Christian  Church  was 
built  about  1838,  but  both  of  these  have  past 
away,  and  there  are  now  but  two  churches  in 
the  precinct,  viz.:  Zion  Presbyterian,  and 
the  Swedish  Church  at  Little  Indian. 

Zion  Presbyterian  Church  first  held  its  ser- 
vices in  Zion  brick  school  house,  and  in  Jacob 
Lorance's  bam,   which   was  sufficiently  large 


for  church  service,  having  a  partition  wiih 
folding  doors  in  it.  The  church  building 
now  standing,  is  owned  jointly  by  the  Metho- 
dists and  Presbyterians,  who  use  it  in  com- 
mon. The  Presbyterian  Church  Society  was 
organized  April  35,  1830,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Ellis, 
then  living  at  Jacksonville.  The  first  elders 
were:  Jacob  Lorance,  Benjamin  Workman, 
and  Samuel  Montgomery.  Rev.  W.  J.  Fraser 
was  the  first  regular  pastor.  Among  the  first 
regular  members  were:  Jacob  and  Isabella 
Lorance,  Delilah  Richards,  Benjamin  and 
Margaret  Workman,  Mary  Tilford,  Samuel 
and  Mary  Montgomery,  James  and  Harriet 
Stevenson,  Daniel  and  Susan  Stone,  Morgan 
and  Sarah  Green.  The  Methodist  Society 
was  not  organized  until  some  years  later. 

Old  Princeton. — The  village  of  Princeton 
was  laid  out  by  .Jonathan  Berger,  February 
19,  1833,  and  was  the  second  town  laid  out 
in  what  is  now  Cass  County.  It  was  located 
on  the  east  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  30,  township  17,  range  10,  and  was, 
at  the  time  it  was  laid  out,  in  Morgan  County. 
Bergen,  the  proprietor  of  the  town,  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  this  section,  and  a 
stirring,  energetic  man. 

The  first  goods  sold  at  Princeton,  was  by 
Stephen  Mallory,  or  the  firm  of  Mallory  & 
Lewis,  who  opened  a  store  about  1836,  sev- 
eral years  before  the  town  was  laid  out.  Mal- 
lory sold  out  and  returned  to  Kentucky, 
whence  he  came,  and  Lewis  carried  on  the 
business  until  1833-34,  and  then  sold  out  to 
Talraage,  who  shortly  after  sold  to  Parrot  & 
Alcott.  After  continuing  the  business  about 
three  years,  Alcott  bought  out  Parrot  and 
took  Jacob  Bergen  in  as  a  partner,  about  the 
year  1836.  Alcott  retired  about  1840,  and 
Mr.  Bergen  continued  the  business  up  to 
1869.  Win.  Kinner  opened  a  stock  of  goods 
at  Princeton  about  1838-39,  and  Wm.  Brown 
started  a  store  there  also  about  1840  and  took 
Kinner's    stand.       Thus    Princeton     becama 


HISTORY   OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


159 


quite  a  thriving  little  town,  and  did  a  large 
business.  Thomas  Cowan  and  Henry  Murray 
were  early  blacksmiths  of  the  place.  Wm. 
Brown  was  the  first  Justice  of  the  Peace  in 
this  whole  section  of  country,  and  was  com- 
missioned as  such  in  1840.  The  town  in- 
creased until  at  one  time  it  had  some  two 
hundred  inhabitants. 

A  wool  carding  machine  was  started  by 
John  Camp,  about  183G,  and  was  operated  for 
several  years.  It  had  a  tread-wheel,  and  the 
power  was  furnished  by  oxen,  placed  upon 
this  large  wheel.  About  the  year  18-tl  it 
was  removed  to  Virginia,  where  it  did  good 
service  for  a  number  of  years.  Clifford  Wear, 
a  wagon-maker,  plied  his  trade  for  a  long 
while  ;  a  shoe-shop  was  also  carried  on  by  a 
man  whose  name  is  now  forgotten.  Zirkle 
Robinson  carried  on  tailoring,  and  all  other 
branches  of  business  common  in  a  country 
town  were  established.  But  the  time  came 
when  it  began  to  decline,  and  as  steadily  as 
it  had  grown,  it  now  faded  away.  The  town 
of  Virginia  was  rising  into  a  place  of  note  ;  a 
railroad  was  built  which  left  Princeton  out 


in  the  cold,  and  it  was  finally  vacated  April 
31,  1875.  Princeton  is  blotted  from  the  map, 
and  may  now  rank  with  the  lost  cities  of  the 
plain; — Sic  transit  gloria,  etc. 

Little  Indian  Village,  or  Station,  is  located 
on  the  Peoria,  Pekin  &  Jacksonville  Railroad, 
about  four  miles  south  of  Virginia.  It  stands 
on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  35,  town- 
ship 17,  range  10,  and  is  but  little  else  than 
a  shipping  station  on  the  railroad.  It  has 
never  been  laid  out  as  a  village,  and,  indeed, 
makes  no  pretensions  to  that  dignity.  Jacob 
Epler  was  the  first  white  man  to  locate  near 
the  place,  and  afterward  James  Stevenson 
settled  there.  A  burying-ground  was  laid 
out  very  early,  where  the  water-tank  of  the 
railroad  now  stands.  Human  bones  were 
exhumed,  when  the  road  was  being  built,  and 
were  buried  at  Zion  Church,  about  a  mile 
distant. 

Little  Indian  merely  comprises  a  railroad 
station,  a  shipping  point,  one  store  and  a 
Swedish  church.  Mr.  Stevenson  is  the  agent 
of  the  railroad  here,  and  has  been  ever 
since  its  completion  and  opening  to  business. 


IGO 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

RICHMOND    PRECINCT-PHYSICAL    FEA.TDRES-INDIANS-PIONEER    TIMES- 
TLERS— SCHOOLS,  CHURCHES  AND  STORES. 


-EARLY    SET- 


'  It  was  all  a  wilderness,  a  wild  waste." 

SUCH  are  the  expressions  that  everywhere 
meet  the  ears  of  the  inquirer  seeking  in- 
formation of  the  early  settlement.  To  the 
generation  of  to-day  the  phrase  has  become 
trite  and  nearly  meaningless,  but  the  thought- 
ful observer  can  not  fail  to  notice  that  it  is  far 
otherwise  to  the  man  who  knew  the  country 
when  it  was  houseless,  roadless  and  pathless— 
"  Where  nothing  dwelt  but  beasts  of  prey. 
Or  men  as  fierce  and  wild  as  they." 

The  present  generation   knows  nothing  of 
trackless  forests,  unbridged  streams,  pangs  of 
hunger,  days  of  struggle  and  nights  of  fear. 
We  can  not  get  any  degree  of  experience  of 
pioneer  life  in  our  day;  no  adequate  idea  can 
possibly  be  presented;  it  is  lost  only  as  we  see 
some  of  the  effects  of  those   early  trials  and 
hardships  in  the  wrinkled  brows,  scarred  hands, 
and  tottering  limbs  of  a  few  of  the  old  pio- 
neers, who  leaning  upon  their  staffs  in  the 
helpless  infirmities  of  age,  are   to  be  spared 
but  a  few  short  summers  at  most.     We  are 
apt  to  forget  in  the   whirl  and  hum   of  the 
nineteenth  century,  with  one  invention  hurry- 
ing another  out  of  date,  that  there  ever  was 
any  necessity  for  pioneers.     The  man  who 
opens  up  a  new  country  to-day,  can  not  be 
called  a  pioneer  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word. 
In  seeking  a  home  in  the  West,  the  traveler 
sits  in  a  palace   coach   instead  of  an  ox  cart, 
and  is  hurried  over  streams  and  rivers,  through 
State    after    State,  with  the   swiftness  of  an 
eagle's  flight;  his  pockets  are  crammed  with 

*By  J.  L.  Nichols. 


maps  and   information    of  the  great  railroad 
corporations,  which  offer   him   land  on  a  long 
time  and  easj-  payments.     Deciding  to  buy 
land,  his  household  goods  and  a  house  framed 
and  ready  to  be  put  up,  are  shipped  almost  to 
his  door  (!)  at  reduced  rates,  while   improved 
implements    and    all    the    advantages    of    a 
pioneer    experience     of   a    hundred     years, 
unite  to  make   his   work   effective.     In    ten 
years  he  is  in  the  center  of  civilization,  com- 
bining more  privileges  than  the  proudest  and 
oldest   community  of    New   England  knew, 
when  the  pioneers  of  this  land  were  young. 
What  difficulties  they  encountered,  and  with 
untiring  fortitude  overcame  the  hardships  that 
so  numerously  were  heaped  upon  them,  it  is 
the  purpose  of  these  pages  to  relate.     When 
they  sought  the  untried  country  of  the  West, 
the}'  launched  out  like   a  mariner,  on  an  un- 
known sea;  following  a  wagon  track  till  that 
ceased,  they  passed  the  frontier  and  entered 
an    unmapped    wilderness,  guided   only    by 
compass  and  deed;  arriving  at  their  destina- 
tion without  protection  or  shelter,  they  built 
a  house  of  such  material  as  the  scrubby  tim- 
ber permitted,  unassisted  by  mill  or  machin- 
ery.     Their  log  house,  with  mud  to  make  it 
tight,  the  rude  doors,  and  for  a  time,  win- 
dowless,  and  chimneys  made  of  a  tottering 
mass  of  mud  and  sticks,  the  remains  of  which 
here   and  there  are   seen,  was   their   home. 
The  fitful  flame  of  the  hickory  was  their  light 
and  fire,  the  babbling  brook  furnished  them 
water  till  the  spade  penetrated  the  unsounded 
depths,   securing   a   purer   source   of    God's 
sparkling  liquid.     But  all  this  is  of  the  past. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


IGl 


About  us  are  gathered  the  fruits  of  their  toil 
in  a  civilization  to  which  the  world  elsewhere 
is  a  stranger,  and,  looking  back  along  the 
way  over  which  the  pioneers  have  strolled  and 
toiled,  we  can  say  with  a  full  and  overflowing 
heart  of  gratitude,  "  Well  done,  thou  good 
and  faithful  servants." 

The  land-marks  of  pioneer  times  are  fast 
passing  away  with  those  that  placed  them, 
and  all  is  change. 

Richmond  Precinct  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Sangamon  river,  which  in  pre-historic 
times  formed  a  broad  surface  of  bottom  land  on 
each  side  of  its  present  course,  and  there  is  but 
little  doubt  that  the  original  channel  once  ex- 
tended from  bluff  to  bluff,  and  as  the  waters 
gradually  settled  and  were  withdrawn,  the 
present  bottom  lands  were  gradually  formed. 

In  1883,  the  water,  owing  to  the  heavy 
rains  of  the  winter  and  spring,  covered  the 
entire  bottoms,  leaving  scarcely  a  perceptible 
spot  above  the  vast  ocean  of  water;  in  conse- 
quence of  which  a  large  portion  of  the  bottom 
land  the  past  year  has  been  without  cultiva- 
tion. These  overflows  are  not  uncommon, 
however,  for  they  occur  nearly  every  year,  but 
not  to  such  a  height,  bringing  so  much  ruin 
and  destruction  to  the  settlers,  as  the  past 
year.  The  water  during  the  year  was  higher 
than  it  was  ever  known  by  any  of  the  settlers, 
but  Shick  Shack,  a  chief  of  the  Pottawatomie 
tribe,  pointed  out  a  high  water  mark  to  Philip 
Hash,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  that  reached 
nearly  one  third  of  the  way  up  Shick  Schack 
Knob,  one  of  the  highest  hills  of  Richmond 
Precinct;  whether  he  saw  this  himself  or 
whether  it  was  simply  a  matter  of  tradition, 
can  never  be  ascertained;  but  this  we  know, 
should  such  a  flood  as  that  occur  at  the  present 
day,  every  building  on  the  bottoms,  and  Chand- 
lerville  with  all  her  trees,  bridges  and  im- 
provements, would  be  swept  down  the  lUi- 
"ois  River,  and  not  a  trace  of  human  existence 
left  in  the  course  of  the  torrent. 


The  surface  of  the  precinct  we  find  is  con- 
siderably broken  after  entering  what  is  called 
the  upland;  there  seems  to  be  nothing  but  a 
succession  of  hills,  as  though  some  mighty 
force  had  collected  those  majestic  heaps  and 
then  promiscuously  threw  them  together,  some 
falling  upon  each  other,  and  others  sparingly 
strewn  over  the  remaining  surface.  These 
hills  may  be  called  the  Alps  of  Illinois,  with 
a  scenery  as  beautiful  as  any  elevated  upland 
in  the  State.  Amid  these  apparent  mountains 
where  a  half  century  ago  the  foot  of  a  white 
man  iiad  scarcely  trod,  there  are  now  beau- 
tiful homes,  cultivated  fields  and  grazing 
herds. 

The  farmer,  long  toiling  in  subduing  his 
fields,  improving  his  buildings,  would  not  ex- 
change his  hilly  home  for  the  sunniest  and 
fairest  of  Illinois  prairie;  the  hills  are  no 
longer  obstacles  to  the  owners  and  tillers,  but 
a  source  of  pleasure  and  satisfaction.  Many 
of  the  farmers  have  become  wealthy,  some 
have  retired  from  active  labor  and  removed  to 
some  quiet  village;  others  are  quietly  enjoying 
life  on  the  scenes  of  their  pioneer  struggles. 

The  timber,  where  in  an  early  day  there  was 
bvit  little,  is  now  quite  numerous.  Puncheon 
Grove,  about  tlie  centre  of  the  precinct,  was 
the  principal  source  of  timber  from  which 
many  of  the  earlier  cabins  were  built,  and  is 
yet  one  of  the  best  localities  for  good  useful 
timber. 

In  the  Spring  of  1836,  Mr.  Philip  Hash,  be- 
ing of  a  roving,  hunting  turn  of  mind,  found 
himself  on  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Sangamon 
river,  as  the  first  white  settler.  He  hastily 
constructed  a  temporary  cabin,  and  at  once 
began  preparing  foracrop.  The  Indians  were 
then  his  only  neighbors,  and  it  was  here  that 
his  little  son,  Zaohariah  Hash,  now  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  esteemed  citizens  of  Chand 
lerville,  first  made  his  acquaintance  with 
them,  and  learned  considerable  of  their  lan- 
guage.    The  following  year   a   man    by  the 


i(;2 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


name  of  Richard  Chowning  came  from  the 
South  and  located  near  the  cabin  of  Mr.  Hash, 
on  the  land  now  owned  by  the  widow  Tan- 
trum. He  having  a  large  family  of  boys,  be- 
gan at  once  the  cultivation  of  tobacco,  a  crop 
which  he  had  always  cultivated  as  a  business. 
He  sold  his  crop  at  Springfield  at  a  handsome 
price,  and  after  continuing  on  the  bottoms  a 
few  years,  he  moved  to  parts  unknown,  none 
the  poorer  for  his  short  sojourn  on  the  Sanga- 
mon Bottoms. 

Robert  and  Eaton  Nance  and  Peter  Dick, 
with  his  two  sons,  Levi  and  Henry,  were 
added  to  the  little  colony  about  1S"^9,  and 
others  soon  followed,  among  which  were  John 
Witley,  .lohn  Lucus,  .James  Fletcher,  Thomas 
Jones,  Joshua  Nance  and  Gary  Nance.  This 
made  up  a  happy,  lively  and  prosperous 
colony.  But  previous  to  the  coming  of  the 
last  named  settlers,  the  community  were  con- 
siderably agitated  and  scared  over  the  float- 
ing reports  that  the  Indians  were  preparing 
to  attack  and  massacre  the  settlers;  they  all 
left  their  cabins  and  took  refuge  at  Clary's 
Grove,  where  a  few  settlers  had  located,  but 
after  remaining  three  weeks  in  a  military 
state  of  defense,  they  all  returned  to  their 
deserted  firesides  and  resumed  their  usual 
labors.  The  Indians  were  of  a  friendly 
character,  and  never  molested  the  settlers  ex- 
cept by  the  annoyance  of  begging,  which 
they  practiced  to  no  small  extent.  To  show 
their  native  customs  in  heaping  drudgery 
upon  their  wives  one  incident  will  suflice. 
An  Indian  and  his  squaw  came  to  the  cabin 
of  Philip  Hash,  when  Zachariah  was  a  boy, 
and  begged  a  bushel  of  corn;  being  very 
cold  and  wintr}',  Mr.  Hash  gave  them  the 
corn,  and  invited  them  into  the  cabin  to  shell 
it,  that  it  might  be  less  bulky  and  burden- 
some to  carry.  They  both  sat  down  upon  the 
floor,  before  the  fire-place,  and  silently  began 
their  work;  the  Indian,  after  shelling  an  ear 
or  so,  broke  the  silence  with  an  "  och,"  and 


pointing  to  the  palm  of  his  hand,  as  though 
it  hurt,  said  to  Mr.  Hash:  "Hurt  Indian; 
squaw  no  hurt;"  and  she  without  a  word,  or 
without  even  lifting  her  eyes  from  her  work, 
completed  her  task,  shouldered  the  sack  of 
shelled  corn,  and  then  followed  her  master  on 
a  dog  trot  homeward  toward  the  wigwam. 

It  is  said  by  some  of  the  early  settlers,  that 
there  was  a  custom  prevailing  among  the 
Indians  that  when  they  married,  the  Indian 
presented  his  wife  with  the  shank-bone  of  a 
deer,  and  she  in  turn  presented  her  husband 
with  an  ear  of  corn,  the  ceremony  indicating 
that  he  will  furnish  the  meat,  and  she  the 
corn. 

The  first  crops  that  the  early  comers  prin- 
cipally raised,  were  mostly  wheat,  buck- wheat, 
sod-corn,  cotton  and  melons  ;  the  latter  article 
was  very  largely  raised.  In  those  days  people 
buried  them  some  four  feet  in  the  sand,  kept 
them  till  Christmas,  when  they  had,  what  was 
called  their  melon-breakings,"  which  were 
among  the  liveliest  entertainments  of  pioneer 
times. 

Cotton  was  considerably  cultivate<l  till 
after  the  big  snow  in  1831.  Previous  to  that 
people  raised  enough  for  their  summer  cloth- 
ing, and  plenty  for  their  quilts  and  bedding 
in  general. 

People  in  an  early  day  did  nearly  all  their 
teaming  and  farming  with  oxen.  Many  of 
the  settlers  were  not  able  to  own  horses,  and 
those  that  were,  were  not  able  to  use  them 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  the  fly 
season,  as  these  green-heads  were  so  numer- 
ous that  a  horse  could  not  resist  them,  but 
would  lie  down  and  roll  in  the  harness,  or 
under  the  saddle,  or  do  anything  to  shake  off 
the  blood-sucking  swarms  that  would  literally 
cover  its  body. 

Rattlesnakes  at  this   time  were  very  num- 
erous on  the  bottom  lands.      Mr.  Hash  had 
one  field  of  oats  in  which  he  killed  over  forty 
I   of  the'se  venomous  reptiles.     They  were  so 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


163 


iium  ;rous  that  he  was  unable  to  secure  har- 
vest help,  and  consequently  had  to  do  it  all 
himself,  and  did  it  without  accident  or  harm, 
though  often  binding  bundles  under  which 
the  drowsy  rattlers  lay  coiled. 

Till  1833,  there  was  no  physician  nearer 
than  Beardstown  or  Petersburg.  Dr.  Chand- 
ler then  came  and  did  a  humane  work  among 
the  early  comers.  He  traveled  night  and 
day,  giving  all  of  his  patients  the  same  care 
and  attention;  whether  rich  or  poor,  with  or 
without  money;  a  noble,  generous  man  was 
Dr.  Charles  Chandler. 

Many  of  the  first  settlers  did  not  remain 
long,  coming  in  from  eastern  and  southern 
States  and  settling  in  a  wild  country;  poorly 
clothed  and  more  poorly  sheltered,  they 
would  be  taken  with  the  ague  or  other  fevers, 
and  as  soon  as  they  could  close  out  their  in- 
terest in  the  land  and  harvest  their  crop,  they 
departed  wiser,  but  not  richer  than  they 
came. 

The  first  mill  patronized,  was  a  mill  run  by 
horse  power,  on  Rock  Creek,  a  Mr.  Bowen 
owning  the  mill,  and  also  a  cotton  gin.  Jn 
those  days  there  was  no  bolted  flour;  every 
patron  bolted  their  own,  or  ate  it  as  the 
chronic  dyspeptics  of  to-day  do,  bran  and  all. 
There  was  little  farm  machinery  used;  sowing, 
reaping,  mowing  and  threshing,  was  all  done 
by  the  muscle  of  men  and  sturdy  youths,  who 
labored  for  health  as  well  as  wealth.  Grain 
was  hauled  to  Beardstown  or  to  Petersburg; 
cattle  were  driven  often  to  St.  Louis,  a  dis- 
tance then  averaging  from  130  to  170  miles, 
as  the  roads  were  often  impassible  in  places, 
and  much  time  and  distance  taken  to  go 
around  in  search  of  better  and  more  passable 
places. 

The  only  road  in  Richmond  Precinct  in 
1833,  except  here  and  there  a  lone  wagon 
track,  was  the  Bottom  Road,  leading  from 
Beardstown  to  Petersburg. 

The  second  road  was  called  the  State  Road, 


le;iding    to   Springfield    and    going  through 
Puncheon  Grove. 

The  settlers  of  1833  were  Philip  Hash, 
James  Hickey,  Henry  McHenry,  John  Hamby, 
John  Taylor,  Peter  Dick,  Jesse  Armstrong, 
Wm.  P.  Morgan,  and  C.  J.  Wilson.  These 
pioneers  in  their  war  with  nature  were  not 
entirely  without  amusement,  religious  wor- 
ship or  educational  training  for  their  children. 

Mr.  Zachariah  Hash  tells  us  that  it  was  not 
uncommon  to  see  a  young  man  with  his  girl 
start  out  with  an  ox  team  and  go  eight  or  ten 
miles  to  a  dance.  Cotton  pickings,  carding 
and  spinning  parties,  were  very  common,  the 
girls  working  all  day,  and  the  boys  coming 
in  the  evening  to  participate  in  the  dance, 
and  to  see  that  their  girls  got  home  safely. 
They  did  not  then  have  halls  and  waxed  floors 
to  glide  over  in  whirling  the  dizzy  waltz  ;  it 
was  a  puncheon-floor,  with  such  openings 
that  often  the  broad  foot  of  the  pioneer  girl 
would  slip  through  or  become  entangled,  so 
it  became  necessary  for  her  partner  or  lover 
to  show  his  gallantry  by  helping  her  out.  For 
many  winters  a  negro  by  the  name  of  Robert, 
from  Tennessee,  was  the  noted  musician  of 
the  Sangamon  Bottom.  The  sweet  strains 
of  his  violin  roused  the  most  indifl'erent,  and 
brought  the  heaviest  of  cow-hide  boots  quick 
and  strong  down  upon  the  heavy  timbered 
floor.     Such  was  the  dance  of  the  pioneer. 

In  1839  or  1830,  the  first  religious  assembly 
that  ever  convened  in  Richmond  Precinct, 
was  at  the  residence  of  Philip  Hash,  Reddick 
Horn,  an  old  pioneer  minister,  preaching. 
Revs.  Levi  Springer  and  Peter  Cartwright 
also  quite  frequently  visited  the  settlement 
on  their  spiritual  missions,  but  Rev.  Reddick 
Horn  was  quite  a  constant  visitor  of  the  settle- 
ment for  many  years. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  cabins  of  the 
settlers  till  Chandlerville  churches  were  or- 
ganized, when  all  church-believing  and 
church-going  people  attended  there. 


1B4 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


The  second  church  society  that  was  organ- 
ized in  the  precinct  was  at  Big  Puncheon 
Grove,  and  the  first  settlement  around  the 
vicinity  of  that  grove  was  made  about  1830. 
In  1838  we  find  the  following  families  in  that 
neighborhood:  John  Lucus,  George  Thatcher, 
Joshua  and  Robert  Nance,  John  Chesser, 
Joseph  Goble,  John  Howton,  John  Bingley, 
Bartlet  Conyers  and  Elijah  Watkins. 

The  Puncheon  Grove  Baptist  Church, 
sometimes  known  as  the  Iron  Side  Baptist, 
was  first  organized  by  the  religious  zeal  of 
Wm.  Watkins,  Thomas  Plasters,  Daniel  Atter- 
berry,  Wm.  Armstrong,  JamesWatkins,  Elijah 
Watkins.  The  society  held  their  first  meet- 
ings at  private  houses,  till  1842,  when  they 
built  a  church  near  the  site  of  the  present 
school  house.  As  to  the  cost,  it  is  difficult 
to  say,  for  the  members  of  the  society  con- 
tributed miscellaneously  money,  labor,  lumber, 
timber,  etc.,  till  the  religious  edifice  was  com- 
pleted. Cyrus  Wright  was  their  first  pastor, 
and  continued  till  his  death;  since  then  no 
regular  services  have  been  held. 

The  church  was  used  for  school  purposes  as 
soon  as  completed  ;  elections,  law- suits,  etc., 
were  held  within  the  sacred  sanctum,  and 
consequently,  considering  the  numerous  uses 
to  which  its  doors  were  open,  it  did  not  last 
very  long,  and  has  since  been  torn  down,  and 
its  decayed  timbers  replaced  with  a  house  of 
education. 

No  Sabbath  school  was  ever  conducted  in 
connection  with  the  church,  as  the  Old  School 
Baptists  do  not  believe  in  that  system  of 
teaching  and  propagating  religion. 

One  peculiarity  about  the  members  of  this 
church,  was  their  extreme  enthusiasm,  but 
though  extreme  in  their  religious  views,  they 
were  in  a  secular  sense  among  the  best  and 
most  honest  citizens  in  the  precinct;  at  present 
there  are  but  four  male  members  remaining 
out  of  their  former  number  of  forty. 

Schools. — The  first  school  of  the  precinct 


was  a  rude  log  house  built  on  the  Sangamon 
Bottom,  on  the  Beardstown  and  Peters- 
burg Road,  on  the  land  now  owned  by  the 
heirs  of  Joshua  Morse;  the  land  was  then 
owned  by  Henry  McHenry,  who  was  most 
active  in  planning  and  carrying  out  the  enter- 
prise. 

The  first  scholars  that  attended  that  school 
are  now  gray  headed  old  men  and  women 
whose  shadows  are  fast  lengthening  in  the 
path  of  life,  and  nearing  the  eternal  sunset. 
Many  already  have  gone;  the  rest  soon  must 
follow.  C.  J.  Wilson,  one  of  the  first  schol- 
ars, retains  in  memory  the  names  of  but  few 
of  his  school  mates,  John  Hash,  Pollie  Dick, 
Henry  Taylor,  James  and  Levi  Dick,  and  the 
children  of  Absalom  Bowling  are  all  he  can 
mention. 

The  school  was  taught  by  an  Englishman  who 
came  from  the  East,  by  the  name  of  James  L. 
Grant.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  intellectu- 
al understanding,  a  good  scholar  and  good  fel- 
low, and  taught  a  good  school,  but  he  had  one 
weakness,  and  that  was  taking  a  little  too 
much  grog  under  very  frequent  circumstances. 
Drinking  spirits  in  these  days  was  considered 
a  necessary  matter  of  health.  Every  farmer 
kept  it  in  the  pressing  seasons  of  work,  and 
many  of  the  farmers  keeping  a  little  copper 
still,  where  they  manufactured  their  own 
whisky  and  supplied  their  neighbors.  Then 
it  was  a  pure  article  that  men  drank,  now  the 
man  that  desires  his  morning  dram  must  pour 
into  his  stomach  four  parts  of  poisonous  com- 
pound to  one  of  pure  whisky.  No  wonder 
we  have  drunkards.  The  school  continued  its 
progressive  work,  till  the  present  building 
known  as  the  Dick  school  house  was  erected. 
Girls  in  the  first  schools  of  the  country 
brought  their  work  and  knitting  just  as  much 
as  their  books.  They  were  expected  to  im- 
prove their  noon  and  recess  in  preparing 
stockings  for  the  family,  and  doing  such  other 
work  as  could  be  conveniently  carried  to  tho 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


165 


bouse  of  instruction.  Such  were  our  pioneer 
schools. 

There  are  now  four  district  schools  annually 
taught  in  the  precinct.  The  Dick  school 
bouse  has  already  been  mentioned.  The 
Lynn  school,  Pontiac  school,  and  Green  Ridge 
school,  are  the  other  three. 

Shick  Shack  Knob,  known  as  the  summer 
resort  of  an  Indian  chief  of  the  same  name, 
was  first  entered  by  James  Hickey,  and  ho 
purchasing  other  lands  adjoining,  found  it  nec- 
essary to  have  it  surveyed  that  his  boundary 
lines  might  be  more  definitely  located.  He 
being  acquainted  with  a  young  surveyor  in 
Menard  county,  by  the  name  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  had  him  come  and  survey  the  land; 


Shich  Shack  Knob  consequently  can  never  be 
forgotten.  The  land  will  ever  be  sacred  to 
the  memory  of  the  martyred  President. 

The  business  of  the  precinct  is  of  a  very 
limited    character   outside    of    farminar    and 

o 

stock  raising. 

Henry  T.  and  Abner  Foster  kept  store 
for  a  time  on  the  land  since  owned  by  John 
P.  Dick;  at  that  time  the  mail  was  distributed 
there  and  the  post-office  was  known  as  Rich- 
mond. Their  goods  were  hauled  from  Beards- 
town  and  Petersburg;  they  kept  a  good  stock 
for  that  early  day,  and  continued  a  successful 
business  for  several  years.  They  closed  out 
in  1837  or  1838  and  Richmond  ceased  to  be 
the  centre  of  pioneer  trade. 


1G6 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

PHILADELPHIA  PRECINCT— DESCRIPTIVE— TOPOGRAPHY  AND  PHYSICAL  FEATURES-OR- 
GANIZATION AS  A  PRECINCT— THE  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  WHITES— THEIR  LIFE  ON 
THE  FRONTIER— PIONEER    IMPROVEMENTS— CHURCHES,    SCHOOLS,    ETC.— 
PHILADELPHIA  AND  LANCASTER— A  LOST  CITY,  ETC. 


FANCY  yourself  standing  upon  yonder 
swell  of  the  ground  fifty  years  ago.  It 
is  June,  say;  your  senses  are  regaled  with  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape,  the  singing  of  the 
birds,  the  fragrance  of  the  air,  wafting 
grateful  odors  from  myriads  of  flowers  of 
every  imaginable  variety  of  size,  shai^e  and 
hue,  blushing  in  the  sunbeam  and  opening 
their  petals  to  drink  in  its  vivifying  rays. 
While  gazing  enraptured,  you  descry  in  the 
distance  a  something  moving  slowly  over  the 
prairies,  and  through  the  forest  and  among 
the  gorgeous  flowers.  As  the  object  nears 
you,  it  proves  to  be  a  wagon,  a  "•  prairie 
schooner,"  drawn  by  a  team  of  oxen,  contain- 
ing a  family  and  their  earthly  all.  They  are 
moving  to  the  "far  West"  (now  almost  the 
center  of  civilization),  in  quest  of  a  home.  At 
length  they  stop,  and,  on  the  margin  of  a  grove 
rear  their  lone  cabin,  amid  the  chattering  of 
birds,  the  bounding  of  deer,  the  hissing  of  ser- 
pents, and  the  barking  of  wolves.  For  all  the 
natives  of  these  wilds  look  upon  the  intruders 
with  a  jealous  eye,  and  each  in  his  own  way 
forbids  any  encroachments  upon  his  fondly- 
cherished  home,  and  his  long  and  undisputed 
domain.  From  the  same  point  of  observation, 
look  again  in  mid-summer,  in  autumn,  and  in 
winter.  And  lo!  fields  are  enclosed,  waving 
with  grain,  and  ripening  for  the  harvest. 
Look  yet  again,  after  the  lapse  of  fifty  years, 
and  what  do  you  see?  The  waste  has  become 
a  fruitful  field,  adorned  with  ornamenal  trees, 
enveloping  in  beauty  commodious  and  even 
elegant   dwellings.     In    short,  you  behold  a 


land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey  (figuratively 
speaking),  abounding  in  spacious  churches, 
schools  and  academies,  and  other  temples  of 
learning;  a  land  of  industry,  and  wealth,  check- 
ered with  railroads  and  public  thoroughfares. 
A  land  teeming  with  life  and  annually  send- 
ing off  surplus  funds  with  hundreds,  not  to 
say  thousands,  of  its  sons  to  people  newer 
regions  beyond.  A  land  whose  resources 
and  improvements  are  so  wonderful  as  to 
stagger  belief,  and  surpass  the  power  of  de- 
scription. It  reads  like  a  magic  story,  like  a 
tale  of  enchantment,  and  yet,  it  is  the  true 
history  of  our  own  country — our  great  West. 
Philadelphia  Precinct  lies  east  of  Virginia, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  recently  created  in  the 
county.  It  was  made  from  a  part  of  Oregon, 
Lancaster,  Virginia  and  Princeton  Pre- 
cincts, and  embraces  about  twenty-four 
square  miles.  Like  Virginia  and  Princeton, 
it  is  a  fine  body  of  land,  lies  well,  and  was 
originally  both  prairie  and  timbered  land,  the 
prairie  predominating.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Virginia  and  Oregon  Precincts; 
on  the  east  by  Ashland  (formerly  Lancaster); 
on  the  south  by  Morgan  County;  on  the  west 
by  Princeton  and  Virginia  Precincts,  and  lies 
in  township  17,  and  range  9,  west  of  the  third 
principal  meridian.  It  has  but  few  natural 
streams,  and  they  are  very  small.  Little  Indian 
and  Cox  Creeks  are  all  that  are  laid  down  on 
the  map.  The  Springfield  division  of  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  passes  through  the  precinct, 
and  the  station  affords  a  shipping  point  for  the 
surplus  products  of  the  surrounding  country. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


IG- 


Philadelphia  Precinct,  as  we  have  said,  is 
but  a  newly  created  division  of  the  county.  It 
was  organized  September  6,  1876,  and  was 
formed  principally  out  of  what  was  formerly 
known  as  Lancaster  Precinct,  though  a  small 
portion  was  taken  from  each,  Virginia,  Ore- 
gon and  Princeton  Precincts.  The  remainder 
of  Lancaster  was  called  Ashland,  and  thus 
old  Lancaster  Precinct  was  blotted  out  of 
existence,  just  as  whole  States  in  Europe  are 
often  blotted  out  in  some  war  or  revolution. 
From  its  ruins  have  arisen  Ashland  and  Phila- 
delphia, two  precincts  that  will  compare  fav- 
orably with  any  in  Cass  County,  in  fine  land, 
wealth  and  general  prosperity. 

The  settlement  of  Philadelphia  Precinct  is 
so  interwoven  with  that  of  Ashland,  Vir- 
ginia and  Princeton,  of  which  it  was  a  part, 
until  so  recently  that  little  here  need  be  said 
upon  the  subject.  Indeed,  there  can  be  but 
little  said,  without  repeating  what  has  been 
said  elsewhere,  of  the  setilement  of  the  sur- 
rounding community.  Many  of  the  early  set. 
tiers  mentioned  in  Virginia,  Oregon  and 
Princeton,  were  residents  of  those  parts  now 
embraced  in  this. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  this  section 
were  the  Cunninghams,  Redmons,  and  others, 
who  have  already  been  mentioned  as  settiino- 
in  Sugar  Grove,  and  the  other  bodies  of  tim- 
ber which  were  in  the  present  limits  of  Phil- 
adelphia Precinct.  James  Davis,  William 
Crow  and  Eli  Cox  were  also  early  settlers  in 
this  region.  But,  as  already  stated,  the 
names  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  entire  re- 
gion have  been  given  in  other  chapters  of 
this  volume,  and  it  issuperflurous  to  recapit- 
\ilate  them.  As  the  larger  portion  of  the 
present  precinct  was  prairie,  it  was  not  set- 
tled so  early  as  the  timber  portion  of  the 
county,  save  in  the  few  small  groves  it  con- 
tained. The  early  settlers  of  Cass  County,  as 
well  as  of  the  entire  State  of  Illinois,  were 
mostly  from  a  timbered  countrj-,  and  believed 


that  the  great  prairies  would  never  be  fit  for 
anything  but  pasture.  Hence,  it  was  not  un- 
til the  timber  land  was  all  occupied,  and 
farms  had  sometimes  changed  hands  several, 
times,  that  settlers  begun  to  venture  out  on  the 
prairies.  Slowly  at  first,  they  occupied  the 
vast  plains,  and  that  too,  near  the  timber. 
But  time  and  experience  soon  proved  the 
merits  of  the  prairie  lands  for  agricultural 
purposes,  and  as  this  knowledge  dawned  up- 
on the  people,  tbey  lost  no  time  in  securing 
prairie  land,  with  as  much  zeal  as  they  had 
avoided  them.  Thus,  family  after  family  came 
into  Philadelphia,  until  the  entire  precinct 
was  occupied. 

The  young  men  and  women  of  the  present 
time  have  no  conception  of  the  mode  of  life 
among  the  early  settlers  of  this  country  from 
forty  to  sixty  years  ago.  In  nothing  are  the 
habits  and  mnnners  of  the  people  in  any  res- 
pects similar  to  those  a  half  century  ago. 
We  are  at  a  loss  where  to  begin,  so  as  to  give 
the  youth  of  to-day  anything  like  a  just  idea 
of  this  matter.  The  clothing,  the  dwellings, 
the  diet,  social  customs — in  fact,  everything, 
has  undergone  a  total  revolution.  The  houses 
were  all  built  of  logs,  the  cracks  filled  with 
"  chinks,"  and  then  daubed  over  with  a  mor- 
tar made  of  clay  or  "  prairie  dirt."  The  floor 
was  the  smooth  earth  or  was  made  of  rough 
"  puncheons,"  and  the  spaces  between  these 
were  often  such  that  the  younger  children 
had  to  exercise  great  care  not  to  step  through 
these  crevices.  The  roof  was  made  of 
"  boards,"  as  they  were  called  by  the  west- 
ern people,  but  known  among  the  Yankees  as 
"  shakes,"  and  when  put  down,  were  held  to 
their  places  by  weight-poles.  The  fire-place 
occupied  one  end  of  the  cabin,  and  is 
described  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Tlie  ar- 
ticles used  in  cooking  were  as  few  and  simple 
as  can  be  imagined.  An  oven  or  skillet,  a 
frying-pan,  an  iron  pot  or  kettle,  with  occas- 
ionally a  coifee-pot,  completed  the  outfit  of 


168 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


the  best  furnished  kitchen.  Stoves  were  en- 
tirely unknown,  and  all  the  cooking  was  done 
in  and  around  the  fire-place,  a  fact  that  our 
modern  young  ladies  would  not  relish,  as  it 
would  burn  and  spoil  their  pretty  faces. 

Among  the  clothing  of  the  pioneers,  every- 
thing was  plain,  simple,  and  in  conformity 
with  the  strictest  economy.  This  was  not 
only  true  of  their  dwellings,  furniture  and 
provisions,  but  also  of  their  clothing.  The 
men  mostly  wore  hunting-shirts  and  pants  of 
buckskin,  and  caps  of  coon  or  fox  skin,  while 
both  sexes  wore  moccasins  instead  of  shoes. 
Many  were  the  expedients  devised  by  the 
prudent  dames  in  the  matter  of  clothing;  for 
ever  since  that  wonderful  triumph  of  millinery 
art — the  construction  of  an  entire  wardrobe 
from  fig-leaves,  devised  long  years  ago  in  the 
world's  early  dawn,  woman  has  been  very 
gifted  in  laying  plans,  and  adopting  expedi- 
ents in  the  matter  of  clothing.  But,  un- 
fortunately  for  her  skill  and  industry,  the 
country  afforded  but  little  more  in  the  line  of 
feminine  wearing  apparel  than  did  Eden  in  the 
days  of  our  first  parents.  Cotton  and  flax 
were  produced  for  some  years,  but  they  could 
not  be  raised  to  do  much  good  on  account  of 
wolves  and  bears.  Hence  the  people  had  no 
choice  between  adopting  expedients  and  ap- 
pearing in  a  somewhat  modified  phase  of  the 
Highland  costume.  The  tools  and  agricul- 
tural implements  were  on  a  par  with  every- 
thing else.  The  ground  was  broken  with 
wooden  mold-board  plows,  and  the  corn 
cultivated  with  hoes  and  "  bull-tongue "  or 
shovel  plows.  The  teams  wore  piincipally 
oxen,  both  for  plowing  and  hauling.  But 
these  times  of  self-denial  and  privation  are 
long  since  past.  Upon  the  very  face  of 
nature  the  rolling  years  have  writ  en  their 
record,  and  the  wilderness  has  been  trans- 
formed into  a  scene  of  loveliness.  The  ox- 
mill  has  given  place  to  the  steam  mill,  while 
improvement    in    farm    machinery    has    kept 


pace  with  everything  else,  and  our  clothing, 
particularly  that  of  the  female  portion  of  us, 
is — well,  wonderful  to  contemplate. 

The  people  of  Philadelphia  worshiped  in 
the  early  churches  of  Princeton  and  Virginia 
Precincts.  There  is  but  one  church  within 
the  limits  of  the  precinct  at  present,  at  least 
so  far  as  we  could  learn,  and  that  is  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  at  the  village  of  Philadelphia. 
It  originally  stood  in  Princeton  Precinct,  but 
the  membership  dwindled  down  so  small,  that 
the  church  was  finally  moved  to  the  village  of 
Philadelphia.  There  is  no  regular  pastor,  we 
are  informed,  at  present,  but  a  Sunday  school 
is  kept  up,  and  occasional  preaching  by  visit- 
ing ministers. 

The  first  schools  of  the  precinct,  like  the 
first  churches,  are  described  in  other  chapters, 
and  need  no  repetition  here.  There  are  now 
some  four  or  five  school  houses  in  the  precinct, 
good,  substantial  edifices,  in  which  schools  are 
maintained  during  the  usual  terms  each 
year. 

The  old  town  of  Lancaster,  like  the  pre- 
cinct which  forme  ly  bore  that  name,  has 
passed  away,  and  nothing  now  remains  to 
show  where  once  it  stood.  It  wis  laid  out  by 
Jo,  n  Dutch,  who  had  one  hundred  acres  sur- 
veyed into  lots  in  the  nort'  east  quarter  of  the 
northwest  quarter  of  section  25,  township 
17  and  range  9  west.  It  was  surveyed  a  d 
platted  by  William  French,  County  Survey,  r. 
The  entire  plat  was  conveyed  to  Erastus  W. 
Palmer,  May  8,  1837,  for  $400.  The  town 
was  vacated  by  A.  Dutch,  June  6,  1843.  The 
Lancaster  post-office  continued  until  the 
abandonment  of  Philadelphia  Plat  in  1881. 

John  Dutch,  the  original  proprietorof  Lan- 
caster, was  an  old  sea  captain,  and  like  most 
of  that  class,  was  very  profane.  Sometime 
after  laying  out  his  town,  1  e  went  back  ta 
Boston,  whence  he  had  come,  and  begged 
contributions  to  build  a  church,  as  he  .said,  to 
Christianize  the    heathenish   wester. i  people. 


HISTORY   UF  CASS  COUNTY. 


1G9 


He  raised  considerable  money  and  came  back, 
and  really  did  build  a  cliurch,  which  was  used 
as  such  for  many  years,  and  then  moved 
away  and  changed  into  a  barn.  Mr.  Dutch 
had  been  very  wealthy,  but  had  lost  most  of 
his  riches.  He  had  saved  enough,  however, 
to  enter  a  la  ge  body  of  land  in  Cass  County. 
He  built  a  fine  two-story  hotel,  where  he 
laid  out  his  town  on  the  ^p^ingfield  and 
Beardstown  State  road.  He  kept  tavern  here 
for  a  good  many  years,  but  his  town  never 
grew  to  very  large  proportwns,  and  as  we 
have  said,  was  finally  vacated,  and  the  very 
spot  whereon  it  stood,  is  known  to  but  few  of 
the  citizens  of  the  county. 

Philadelphia  was  laid  out  on  the  school 
section  (16)  of  township  17,  range  9,  and  the 
plat  recorded  July  11,  1836.  Archibald  Job 
qualified  as  trustee  to  section  16,  July  17, 
1846,  and  the  plat  of  the  town  was  made  by 


him  as  trustee.  One  of  the  first  business 
houses  of  the  place,  was  a  grocery  store  kept 
by  a  man  named  Miller  McLane.  The  town, 
at  one  time,  was  quite  a  business  place  and  had 
an  extensive  grain  trade.  But  the  building 
of  the  railroad  throusrh  Virjjinia  drew  much 
of  the  business  to  that  point,  and  Philadelphia 
steadily  declined  from  that  time. 

There  is  now  one  store,  one  wagon  shop, 
one  blacksmith  shop,  and  still  quite  a  grain 
market.  There  is  one  church  of  the  Christian 
denomination,  which  has  already  been  no- 
ticed. 

This  comprises  a  brief  sketch  of  Philadel- 
phia, from  the  time  of  its  organization  and  set- 
tlement, aside  from  what  has  been  given  in 
other  chapters.  It  may  be  that  there  are  rep- 
etitions, from  the  causes  given  in  the  preced- 
ing pages,  but,  we  think,  to  no  great  extent. 


170 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  XYin.* 

MONROE    PRECINCT— DESCRIPTION— PHYSICAL    FEATURES— SETTLEMENT   AND    PIONEER 
TIMES— GROWTH  AND  IMPROVEMENT— CHCRCHES,  SCHOOLS,  ETC. 

TTERE  in  Monroe  Precinct  the    bold  immi- 


n 


grant  pitched  his  lonely  tent  and  staked 


all  beside  some  cool  bubbling  spring,  within 
the  shades  of  some  thriving  gi-ove,  where  his 
ax  fertile  first  time  rang  out  amid  the  mighty 
solitudt!,  frightening  the  denizans  from  their 
peaceful  slumbers,  and  starting  those  rever- 
berations, whose  last  re-echo  has  changed  into 
the  screech  of  the  iron  hor^e  and  the  hum  of 
a  thousand  industries,  which  had  their  begin- 
ning in  the  rough,  ru  le  cabins  of  those  sturdy 
pioneers,  who  first  penetrated  the  forests  and 
prairies  of  the  West. 

We  would  ask  for  no  pleas  inter  task  than 
that  which  falls  upon  the  chronicler  of  early 
history,  could  we  picture  and  reproduce  the 
scenes  of  half  a  century  ago,  that  the  reader 
might  see  in  his  imagination  the  unhewn 
log  hut,  with  its  clay  filled  crevices,  its  mud 
or  adobe  chimney,  its  rudely  proportioned 
fire-place,  its  rough,  unseemly  furniture,  and 
the  general  surroundings  of  a  pioneer  cabin; 
could  we  paint  the  rude  shed  with  its  pro- 
jecting poles,  covered  with  brush,  the  fore- 
runner of  the  fine  frame  barns  of  to-day, 
groaning  under  the  loads  of  grain  and  pro- 
duce, gathered  from  the  fields  which  our  fore- 
fathers conquered  and  subdued;  could  we 
show  the  roads  through  tangled  brush, 
swampy  slough,  and  unbridged  streams,  over 
which  the  first  settlers  struggled  and  drew 
their  loads;  could  we  picture  all  these 
scenes  in  their  wild  but  natural  beauty,  as 
they  were   and    existed,   we  would  bring  be- 

»By  J.  I...  Nichols. 


fore  many  a  reader  similar  scenes,  whose  im- 
press have  been  left  indelibly  upon  the 
mind  by  the  oft  repeated  stories  of  the  gray- 
haired  sires,  recounted  with  many  an  animated 
gesture,  as  he  lived  over  again  those  olden 
times. 

The  historian,  like  an  insurance  agent  or 
an  undertaker,  has  a  thankless  task  to  per- 
form, no  matter  hovv  diligently  he  may  rum- 
mage through  the  dusty  memorials  of  the 
past,  putting  forth  his  gi'eatest  powers  to  en- 
compass ever3'thing  of  any  degree  of  appro- 
priate importance,  and  to  hand  down  to  poster- 
ity an  accurate  and  comprehensive  record;  it 
falls  far  short  of  what  a  great  majority  of 
people  anticipated  it  would  be.  But  there  is 
one  satisfaction,  the  coming  generations  will 
become  more  fair  and  consistent  in  taking  in 
the  situation,  and  will  more  fully  appreciate 
the  labors  of  the  h'istorian.  It  must  be  tak- 
en into  consideration,  that  but  few  of  the 
first  settlers  are  living;  those  that  are,  their 
memories  and  recollections  are  not  what  thev 
were  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  a  history  at 
best  must  consequently  be  but  a  partial  narra- 
tion of  events. 

Monroe  Precinct  has  no  village  within  its 
present  limits;  about  half  of  its  surface  was 
originally  prairie,  and  the  rest  brush  and 
timber  land.  The  timber  was  scattered  over 
the  precinct  in  little  groves,  which  were  often 
of  considerable  length  along  the  ravines  and 
streams.  There  is  some  very  beautiful  level 
land  in  places,  along  the  streams;  and  around 
the  groves  it  is  considerably  broken  and 
often  blufTy.     Perhaps  no  better  fruit  pioduc- 


>^^yC>^^^^^^^«^;,^^^^'^^^>fi^^^?>^zL_ 


f'V/ 


^f/?s, 


'-'»i$. 


HlftiTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


173 


iiig  land  can  be  found  in  the  county.  The 
soil  seems  less  sandy  than  the  land  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  and  more  pro- 
ductive and  more  easily  cultivated,  excL'pt- 
in"-  the  Sangamon  Bottom.  Wheat  and  corn 
seem  to  be  the  staple  productions,  thougli 
there  are  a  goodly  number  of  stock  farms, 
and  some  very  fine  blooded  stock  raised. 
Farmers  are  fast  learning  that  the  improve- 
ment of  their  stock  has  become  a  very  profit- 
aljle  investment. 

There  was  a  village  named  Monroe,  laid 
out  June  27,  1836,  and  surveyed  by  Johnston 
Shelton,  for  Morgan  County,  while  this  vpas  a 
part  of  Morgan.  It  was  on  the  west  half  of 
southwest  quarter  of  section  11,  township  17, 
range  11,  and  was  about  four  and  a  half  miles 
from  Virginia.  The  place  has  long  since 
been  abandoned  and  vacated,  and  only  a 
church  uow  marks  the  site. 

There  are  three  creeks,  namely:  Lost,  Clear, 
and  Prairie,  that  run  across  the  precinct 
from  east  to  west  in  almost  parallel  lines. 
Along  the  banks  of  the  two  first,  some  very 
good  timber  in  an  early  day  was  found;  along 
the  latter  was  mostly  prairie.  Some  portions 
of  the  year  these  streams  assume  the  size  of 
rivers,  but  it  is  not  unusual  to  see  them  dry, 
or  nearly  so,  during  the  summer  months  of  the 
year. 

The  first  settlers  were  seemingly  afraid  of 
the  prairie,  and  would  not  locate  unless  they 
could  secure  a  site  for  a  cabin  within  the 
sheltering  shades  of  some  grove,  or  strip  of 
timber.  The  immigrants  coming  mostly  from 
timbered  localities,  thought  it  impossible  to 
settle  on  the  naked  prairie.  And  thus  we  find 
the  first  settlers  closely  hugging  the  timber, 
and  every  neighborhood  was  known  as  such  a 
grove,  the  name  being  taken  from  the  first 
settler  that  pitched  his  tent  or  built  his  cabin 
there. 

The  first  man  that  entered  the  present  lira- 
its   of   Monroe  Precinct  as   a    settler  is    not 


definitely  known;  but  as  early  as  1827,  the 
following  families  were  here:  Benjamin  Ma- 
thus,  Thomas  and  William  Clark,  George 
Ruby,  James  Davis,  Alexander  Huffman,  and 
Richard  Graves;  of  all  of  these,  Mrs.  Elizaljeth 
L.  Davis  is  the  only  survivor.  She  is  eighty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  lives  on  the  old  home- 
stead with  her  son  George.  It  is  but  a  mat- 
ter of  a  few  years,  when  she  too  will  enter  the 
sleep  of  her  fathers,  and  the  last  of  Monroe's 
pioneers  will  have  passed  away.  It  is  sad  to 
follow  the  old  venerable  pioneer  veterans  one 
by  one  to  the  grave,  and  cover  them  with  the 
sod  which  they  struggled  so  many  years  to 
conquer  and  subdue,  but  "  All  that  lives  must 
die." 

"  Of  all  the  men 
Whom  day's  departing  beam  saw  blooming  there. 
In  proud  and  vigorous  health  ;  of  all  the  hearts 
That  beat  with  anxious  life  at  sunset  there, 
How  few  survive,  how  few  are  beating  now  ! 

Mr.  Mathus  settled  on  the  land  now  own- 
ed by  Elias  Davis;  William  Clark  on  Edward 
Davis'  present  farm.  Thomas  Clark  settled 
on  Clear  Creek,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
Henry  Pratt.  The  land  Mr.  Ruby  purchased 
is  still  owned  by  his  heirs.  The  Hufi'man  and 
Graves  estates  which  they  respectively  pur- 
chased and  improved,  is  also  owned  by  their 
heirs.  Isaiah  Huffman,  James  Graves,  George, 
Turminan,  and  James  Alien  Davis,  are  the 
prominent  descendants  of  the  first  settlers  now 
living  in  the  precinct.  Mr.  James  Davis  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  County,  coming 
in  1821,  and  settled  on  Indian  Creek,  where 
he  lived  till  1827,  when  he  moved  to  Monroe 
Precinct. 

To  show  the  manner  of  building  the  earlier 
cabins  of  the  country,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
to^ivebutone  instance.  Mr.  James  Davis 
came  in  the  winter  of  1827,  and  built  his  log 
house  near  where  he  afterward  built  his 
present  frame  building;  and  after  complotinar 
it  and  closing  it  up,  he  returned  to  hisfuiiiiiy 


174 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  when  they  moved  in  March  to  their  pre- 
viously built  cabin,  they  found  three  feet 
of  snow  on  its  floor.  So  open  and  poorly  con- 
structed were  the  first  cabins,  that  the  stars 
could  be  counted  at  night  through  the  roof, 
and  wolves  shot  through  openings  in  the  sides. 

Previous  to  1833,  the  settlers  had  no  road 
to  Beardstown ;  what  little  trading  and  selling 
they  did  was  at  Springfield. 

There  was  but  little  grain  raised,  however, 
to  be  carried  to  that  distant  market,  as  the 
new  immigrants  annually  coming  in  consumed 
nearly   all  of  the  first  crops  that  were  raised. 

The  road  to  Beardstown  was  traced  out  by 
a  committee  appointed  especially  for  that  pur- 
pose by  the  settlers,  three  of  the  committee 
were  .Joshua  Crow,  James  Davis  and  Benja- 
min Mathus,  the  names  of  the  others,  like 
many  events  and  facts  of  early  settlements 
have  passed  into  oblivion. 

The  road  was  cut  through  and  completed  to 
Beardstown  in  1833  or  thereabouts.  This 
made  a  nearer  or  better  market,  and  also  a 
post-office,  and  a  cheaper  place  of  purchase, 
thereby  not  only  benefiting  the  country  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  Monroe  Precinct, 
but  many  miles  beyond.  Previous  to  this, 
the  settlers  had  but  little  mail  or  beard 
scarcely  any  news.  About  the  only  com- 
munication they  had  from  friends  and  relat- 
ions left  behind,  was  by  settlers  coming  in  or 
some  one  returning,  through  whom  friendly 
messages  were  communicated. 

In  those  days  it  cost  money  to  receive  a 
a  letter.  Our  modern  postal  system  had  not 
then  been  developed;  the  iron  horse,  with  his 
heart  of  fire  and  flaming  breath,  did  not 
sweep  through  the  country  with  the  swift- 
ness of  an  eagle's  flight.  There  were  no 
stoves,  no  matches;  people  were  compelled  to 
seek  their  neighbor's  house  for  fire  should 
their  own  go  out.  Living  now  and  fifty  vears 
ago  are  decidedly  two  different  things. 

In     1832,    the    following     families     were 


then  in  the  precinct:  Benjamin  Mathus,  James 
Davis,  Alexander  Huffman,  George  Rul)v, 
Thomas  and  William  Clark,  Richard  Graves, 
Austin  Sims,  Benjamin  Montgomery,  Joshua 
Grow,  and  a  Mr.  Black. 

During  the  deep  snow  there  was  much  in- 
convenience and  some  considerable  suffering. 
John  "VV.  Davis  was  visiting  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Austin  Sims  when  the  storm  began. 
Durinor  the  night  his  horse  broke  loose  and 
attempted  to  return  home,  but  was  never 
seen  after;  his  bones  were  found  the  follow- 
ing spring  several  miles  away. 

Deer  were  easily  caught  that  winter,  by 
riding  upon  them  with  a  horse.  Mr.  James 
Davis,  who  had  never  killed  a  deer  in  his  life, 
decided  to  try  his  luck  one  morning.  Seeing 
one  struggling  in  the  snow  but  a  short  dis- 
tance from  his  house,  he  took  out  his  horse, 
easily  overtook  the  timid  animal,  and  in  a 
moment  of  excitement  found  himself  straddle 
of  the  deer,  without  knife  or  gun,  or  anything 
with  which  he  could  make  himself  master  of 
the  situation;  but  he  finally  griped  the  nose 
of  his  prey,  and  succeeded  in  so  twisting  its 
neck  that  he  broke  it  and  thereby  secured  his 
game. 

Mrs.  Low,  on  Little  Indian  Creek,  killed 
two  deer  with  a  meat  ax.  Two  bucks, 
in  testing  their  physical  strength,  became  an 
easy  prey,  by  locking  their  horns  so  tightly 
together  that  they  could  not  separate  from 
one  anpt(|^er,  and  Mrs.  Low,  taking  in  the 
situation,  and  with  "the  courage  and  bravery 
of  an  Indian,  marched  to  the  scene  and  suc- 
cessfully dispatched  both  animals. 

The  first  settlers  had  their  first  milling 
done  at  Mr.  Quiller  Hall's  horse-mill,  on 
Little  Indian  Creek.  They  patronized  that 
mill  till  Mr.  Streetsput  up  his,  some  four  miles 
north  of  the  present  site  of  Virginia.  Ben. 
Montgomery  run  a  horse  mill  on  a  small  scale, 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Rosa  Huffman, 
for  several  years.     It  had  a  grinding  capacity 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


175 


of  about  twelve  bushels  per  day,  yet  there 
was  scarcely  an  hour  of  the  day  but  what 
there  was  a  team  standing  at  his  door,  wait- 
ing for  a  grist.  He  also  run  a  small  copper 
still  for  a  time,  which  perhaps  added  some- 
thing to  the  patronage  of  his  mill.  It  was 
no  mark  of  disgrace  at  that  day  for  a  man  to 
manufacture  or  drink  whisky.  Every  farmer 
kept  it;  nearly  every  man  drank  it.  It  was 
tliought  impossible  to  harvest  a  grain  crop 
without  it.  But  times,  and  men,  and  whisky 
have  changed,  the  two  first  for  the  better,  the 
latter  for  the  worse. 

Schools. — The  cause  of  education  received 
the  early  and  timely  attention  of  the  pioneers 
of  Monroe  Precinct,  and  to-day  the  fruit  of  a 
hundred  fold  may  be  seen  in  the  intelligence 
and  culture  of  the  descendants  of  those  early 
and  honest  settlers.  Though  in  the  first  settle- 
ment there  were  a  great  many  influences  that 
worked  against  the  development  of  a  general 
system  of  education,  neighborhoods  were 
thinly  settled,  money  scarce,  and  people  gen- 
erally poor,  no  school-houses,  no  public  fund, 
no  trained  and  qualified  teachers,  no  books, 
and  nothing  characteristic  of  the  present 
schools  was  at  the  command  of  the  pioneers, 
yet  they  organized  schools,  their  children 
were  taught,  and  grew  to  manhood  and  to 
years,  wiser  and  more  learned  than  the  vener- 
able sires  that  gave  them  existence  and 
watched  and  rocked  their  cradles.  When 
we  look  at  the  poverty  and  early  condition  of 
the  settlers,  the  untiring  industry  of  both 
sexes,  old  and  young,  we  are  surprised  that 
they  had  schools  at  all.  Private  residences, 
vacated  cabins,  barns,  or  any  place  of  shelter 
where  fire  could  be  protected  from  the  falling 
rains  or  drifting  snows,  were  used  for  school 
purposes.  These  rude  temples  of  learning, 
in  which  the  pioneer  children  of  the  county 
studied  and  shivered,  were  not  to  be  despised, 
for  they  were  the  best  that  the  wealth  and 
circumstances  of  the  country  permitted. 


The  early  settlers  were  not  unmindful  of 
the  care,  education  and  culture  necessary  to 
prepare  their  children  for  the  trying  struggles 
of  life,  that  they  might  be  a  credit  to  their 
parents  and  a  benefit  to  the  country.  They 
performed  well  their  duty,  and  many  a  rich 
harvest  has  been  the  reward   of  their   labors. 

In  the  year  1829,  Mr.  James  Davis  offered 
a  portion  of  his  premises,  just  south  of  his 
residence,  for  a  school-house,  to  be  used  also 
for  church  purposes,  or  anything  of  an  edu- 
cational or  moral  character. 

The  neighbors  found  Mr.  Davis  very  liberal 
and  enthusiastic  in  his  proposition;  he  offered 
not  only  the  site  for  the  building,  but  also 
money  and  labor  necessary  for  completing 
the  house  and  conducting  a  school.  A  log 
house  was  at  once  erected  by  the  united  labors 
of  the  neighborhood,  each  contributing  logs, 
labor,  or  money,  according  to  their  means,  and 
ere  a  month  had  elapsed  the  building  was  com- 
plete and  ready  for  the  service  for  which  it 
was  built. 

Mr.  Jesse  Pierce  had  the  honor  of  being 
the  first  teacher  of  Monroe  Precinct,  and 
taught  a  good  and  satisfactory  school.  Among 
his  scholars  were  the  following  :  Isaiah  and 
Svlvester  Huffman,  David,  Thomas  and  Pa- 
tience Clark,  Julia  Ann,  John,  Thomas  and 
James  A.  Davis,  Emily  Spencer,  George 
Savage,  Mary,  Logan  and  Samuel  Wilson, 
Mary,  James  and  Nelson  Graves,  and  Jake 
Shoopman. 

The  second  teacher  that  was  given  author- 
ity in  this  log  temple  of  learning,  was  a  Mr. 
Chapman.  He  was  shortly  after  succeeded 
by  .lohn  Galesp,  who  perhaps  was  among  the 
most  successful  teachers  of  the  precinct.  Ho 
taught  several  years,  and  it  was  during  his 
time  of  service  that  the  building  caught  fire 
and  was  consumed.  The  chimney  became 
defective,  being  made  of  sticks  and  mud, 
which  was  verj'  characteristic  of  the  early 
style  of  chimneys,  and  caught  fire  and  made 


176 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


such  rapid  progress  that  it  could  not  be  over- 
come. 

The  settlers  were  not  discouraged,  but  im- 
mediately put  up  a  new  building  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  the  first,  also  on  Mr.  Davis' 
land.  This  was  also  built  of  logs,  with  pun- 
cheon floor,  slab  seats  without  backs  or  sup- 
port, but  it  had  one  decided  advantage  over 
the  old  building,  that  in  that  day  was  consid- 
ered a  very  great  improvement.  Instead  of 
greased  paper  for  windows,  it  was  supplied 
with  regular  sash  and  glass  window-lights. 
Besides  the  regular  building,  a  shed  at 
one  end  was  attached,  in  which  school  was 
kept  during  the  summer  months  of  the  year. 
School  was  kept  in  this  building  some  ten 
years  or  more,  when  a  building  was  put  up  at 
Monroe,  with  but  very  little  improvement  on 
the  old,  except  the  logs  were  hewn  a  little 
smoother,  and  a  little  better  fitted  together, 
the  seats  or  benches  being  about  the  same. 
School  was  successively  taught  here,  from 
1843  to  1854,  when  the  present  building  was 
erected,  and  where  school  has  successfully 
been  taught  ever  since. 

Mr.  Alexander  Hoffman,  about  the  year 
1842,  taught  a  private  school  at  his  own  house, 
which  was  considered  a  great  benefit  to  the 
community.  A  school-house  about  this  time* 
was  built  on  the  land  of  Richard  Graves,  but 
after  the  second  term  it  took  fire  and  was  con- 
sumed. 

Clear  Greek  Church. — One  of  the  first 
things  which  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  did,  after 
crossing  the  storm-swept  ocean,  was  to  as- 
semble upon  the  frozen,  barren  rocks  of  Ply- 
mouth, in  the  great  temple,  whose  majestic 
dome  was  the  over-arching  skies,  and  offer 
prayers  of  thanksgiving  for  their  safe  voyage 
and  successful  landing.  So  it  was  with  the 
first  settlers  of  Cass  County.  Whenever  a 
few  families  were  sufficiently  near  to  each 
other  to  be  called  a  neighborhood,  we  find 
them  often  assembled,  either  in  the  open    air. 


or  within  the  narrow  confines  of  some  pioneer 
cabin,  blending  their  hymns  with  the  moan 
of  the  autumn  winds,  and  returning  thanks 
amid  the  screams  of  the  panther  and  the 
howling  of  wolves.  In  all  the  trials,  priva- 
tions, and  sufferings  that  attended  the  first 
subduing  of  the  forests,  or  the  taming  of  the 
prairies,  the  settlers  forgot  not  that  God  was 
the  great  source  of  blessing,  and  would  not 
forsake  them  in  their  hour  of  need. 

Clear  Creek  church  was  first  begun  at  the 
residence  of  Mr.  John  Ray,  about  the  year 
1S32.  He  being  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  in- 
vited in  a  few  families,  and  under  his  own 
roof  first  began  the  work  of  organizing  a 
a  church.  The  members  that  first  added 
their  names  to  the  roll  of  membership  were, 
himself  and  wife,  Joshua  Crow  and  wife, 
James  Davis  and  wife,  John  Mathews,  Benja- 
min Mathews  and  wife,  William  Shoopman 
and  wife,  and  Nancy  Hill. 

Meetings  were  continued  at  the  cabin  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Ray,  for  two  years  or  more,  when 
he  removed  to  Texas,  and  left  the  settlers 
without  a  minister,  and  a  regular  place  of 
meeting. 

Rev.  Cyrus  Wright  came  among  the  set- 
tlers about  that  time  and  offered  his  services 
to  the  community,  which  were  gladly  and 
thankfully  received.  Meetings  were  then 
held  at  the  cabin  of  Mr.  Shoopman,  who  re- 
sided on  Clear  Creek,  and  the  church  from 
that  took  its  present  name.  After  continuing 
the  meetings  for  some  time  at  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Shoopman,  the  society  decided  to 
hold  their  meetings  at  the  cabin  of  Mr.  James 
Davis,  where  services  were  continued  for 
fourteen  years.  Rev.  Cyrus  Wright  being  the 
officiating  minister.  During  this  time  the 
following  members  were  added  to  the  so- 
ciety: D.  Hardy  and  wife,  Elijah  Davis  and 
wife,  Julia  Ann  Davis,  Millie  Hoffman,  Nancy 
Rnby  Mr.  Harding,  Betsy,  Bridgewater,  Thom- 
as Cowcn,  Mrs.  Morgan,  Lucy   Bridgewater, 


Hiyruuv  OF  cass  county. 


177 


Peter  Hudson  and  wife,  John  Howell  and 
wife,  Joshua  Howell  and  wife,  James  Blan 
and  wife  and  two  daughters,  Mr.  Richards 
and  wife,  Rachel  Epler,  Nancy  Hill,  Ira 
Crow  and  wife,  Amanda  Thornsberry,  Thomas 
Buck  and  wife.  Miles  White  and  wife,  and 
Mr.  Ephraim  White.  At  the  present  day 
but  few  of  the   above    members    are    living. 

In  1852,  they  built  their  present  church,  at 
a  cost  of  $500,  besides  the  time  and  labor 
contributed  by  the  individual  members. 

The  building  committee  was  made  up  of 
the  following  persons:  Alexander  Hoffman, 
James  Davis,  and  William  Shoopman.  The 
above  committee  were  also  elected  the  first 
trustees  of  the  church,  to  which  a  deed  of  the 


land  was  given  by  John  Schaffer,  free  of  all 
cost. 

No  regular  services  at  present  are  held. 
William  Dyre  occasionally  preaches  to  the 
few  members  that  are  left.  The  church  at  one 
time  had  a  large  membership,  and  was  among 
the  most  prosperous  of  the  county. 

The  society  saw  its  brightest  days  of  pros- 
perity when  the  church  was  first  built,  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Wright  was  pastor.  After  his  death, 
Rev.  Mason  Beadle  took  the  charge  as  pastor, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  ministerial  services, 
many  of  the  members  moved  away,  others 
died,  and  now  there  are  but  fifteen  members 
remaining  of  that  once  prosperous  body. 


178 


IIISTOIIY   OF  CASS  COIJXTY. 


CHAPTER   XIX* 

OREGON    PRECINCT  — DESCRIPTION     AND     SETTLEMENT  —  PIONEER    LIFE  —  INDIANS — 


CHURCHES. 

"  Once  o'er  all  this  famous  land 

Savage  wilds  and  darkness  spread, 
Sheltered  now  by  thy  kind  hand, 

Cheerful  dwellings  rear  their  head. 
Where  once  frowned  the  tangled  wood, 

Fertile  fields  and  meadows  smile, 
Where  the  stake  of  torture  stood, 

Rises  now  thy  churches'  pile." 

THE  world  is  now  taking  time  to  look  back 
and  the  story  of  the  pioneer  is  becoming 
one  of  absorbing  interest.  Illinois  was  for  a 
long  time  considered  "out  West,"  and  its 
people,  scarcely  yet  out  of  the  prairie  wastes, 
took  little  interest  in  those  traditions  relating 
to  a  condition  of  society  but  little  removed 
from  their  own.  But  the  onward  rush  of  the 
quick  march  of  civilization,  has  pressed  back 
the  western  frontier,  making  the  once  north- 
western territory  the  central  link  in  the 
brilliant  chain  of  states.  This  awakening  to 
the  true  value  of  the  pioneer  history  of  this 
country  comes  in  many  respects  too  late. 
The  children  of  the  pioneer  settlements  have 
been  fast  gathered  to  the  rest  of  their  fathers 
within  the  past  decade,  and  the  old  land- 
marks, one  by  one,  have  decayed  and  passed 
away  with  those  that  placed  them. 

The  men  who  first  burst  into  the  native  sod 
that  hugged  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Oregon 
Precinct;  the  men  whose  axes  rang  first  along 
its  winding  groves,  where  the  foot-prints  of 
the  red  man  were  imprinted  in  the  sands;  the 
men  whose  bullets  first  pierced  the  bounding 
deer  that  played  and  hid  among  its  countless 
hills,  have  long  since  passed  away  ;  their  lips 

*By  J.  L.  Nichols. 


SCHOOLS. 

are  hushed  in  sleep  that  never  can  impart  the 
hunger,  and  hardships,  and  trials  of  their 
pioneer  struggles.  "  The  half  can  never  be 
told."  It  must  rest  in  secret  and  in  silence 
in  the  pulseless  bosoms  that  know  no  waken- 
ing. 

"Great  God  of  love,  we  dedicate  these  hiUsaud  vales  to 
Thee, 

To  hold  Thy  dead  of  every  name,  God's  Acres  let  them 
be. 

And  may  the  souls  whose  bodies  lie  within  this  beau- 
teous calm 

Be  resting  in  the  bosom  of  The  Heavenly  Taschal 
Lamb." 

We  honor  those  pioneer  veterans  for  their 
self-sacrificing  devotion  in  opening  up  for  us 
such  a  country  of  richness,  of  happy  homes 
and  of  glowing  prospects  for  the  future. 

The  path  which  men  pursue  in  life,  the  dark 
waves  they  struggle  to  repel,  the  rough 
waters  they  endeavor  to  traverse,  and  their 
temporal  happiness,  depends  almost  wholly 
upon  surrounding  circumstances.  See  the 
life  and  pursuits  which  the  pioneer  has  chos- 
en; he  knew  there  was  but  hardship,  priva- 
tion and  long  suffering  in  store  for  him;  the 
vigorous  years  of  his  manhood  must  be  given, 
and  the  strong  muscular  frame  must  be  weak- 
ened with  age  to  secure  a  brief  respite  from 
toil  in  the  autumn  of  his  declining  years. 
Such  was  the  character  and  make-up  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Oregon  Precinct,  and  the  suc- 
cess of  their  labors,  and  the  realization  of 
their  most  sanguine  expectations,  no  one  will 
question  ;  the  churches,  school  houses  and 
beautiful  homes  that  everywhere  meet  the  eye, 
are  the  monuments  of  their  pioneer  industry. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


179 


Oregon  Precinct,  like  Richmond,  is  rather 
too  undulating  for  convenient  travel  over  its 
roads.  There  seems  to  be  nothing  but  hills, 
over  one  only  to  be  at  the  foot  of  another, 
and  so  on  throughout  the  precinct;  yet  as 
broken  and  bluff-like  as  the  country  seems  to 
a  passing  traveler^  it  contains  some  of  the 
best  and  most  productive  farm  lands  in  the 
county. 

The  land  that  is  too  broken  for  cultivation, 
makes  admirable  pastures  for  sheep  and  cattle, 
and  the  fanners  with  their  improved  and  im- 
ported stock,  find  abundant  wealth  in  the  Ore- 
gon hills. 

There  are  three  streams  that  form  the  prin- 
cipal drainage  of  the  precinct.  Coxe's  Creek, 
running  through  the  Western  part,  is  quite 
heavily  timbered;  some  portions  of  this  tim- 
ber, in  the  past  has  been  of  more  than 
an  ordinary  growth,  but  the  best  part 
has  been  cut  down,  and  a  dense,  thrifty 
growth  of  young  trees  has  taken  rapid  pos- 
session of  the  ground.  Panther  Creek  rising 
in  the  centre  of  the  precinct,  is  rather  a  small 
stream  whose  banks  in  many  places  are  very 
high  and  bluffy;  there  is  also  some  timber 
scattered  along  its  banks,  and  quite  a  grove 
where  it  takes  its  rise  and  from  which  it  de- 
rives its  name.  Middle  Creek  flows  through 
the  Northeastern  corner,  and  contains  very 
little  water,  and  has  but  very  little  timber 
growing  along  its  banks  till  it  reaches  Rich- 
mond Precinct,  where  it  is  quite  heavily  tim- 
bered. These  streams  are  comparatively 
small,  and  only  in  places  contain  water  the 
year  round;  they  invariably  cease  running 
about  the  first  of  June,  and  in  very  dry  seasons 
scarcely  any  water  can  be  found  in  the  entire 
length  of  their  channels.  While  in  the  dry 
portions  of  the  summer  they  can  scarcely  be 
termed  creeks  of  the  smallest  character,  in 
Spring,  after  the  heavy  rains,  they  become 
raging,  roaring  rivers,  sweeping  through  the 
lulls  with  such  velocity  and  force  that  bridges, 


fences,  trees,  and  everything  of  a  movable 
character  that  comes  within  their  reach,  is 
swept  awaj'  and  rushed  down  stream. 

Timber  is  more  or  less  scattered  throughout 
the  precinct.  It  is  mostly  of  a  young  growth 
that  has  started  since  the  prairie  fires  ceased 
to  rage  and  sweep  over  the  country.  The  best 
and  most  timber  is  found  in  the  southeast  por- 
tion of  the  precinct,  and  in  the  western  part 
along  the  banks  of  Coxe's  Creek. 

The  first  settlement  in  Oi'egon  Precinct 
was  on  Middle  Creek.  Mr.  McDonald  and 
Mr.  Redman  were  the  first  to  penetrate  the 
pathless  wilds  and  seek  homes  among  the  In- 
dians and  wild  beasts  that  roamed  over  the 
hills  and  woods  of  the  country.  They  built 
their  cabins  near  the  present  site  of  New- 
mansville,  in  1824,  and  lived  there  in  the  soli- 
tude and  silence,  with  Salem  their  nearest 
post-office,  and  Eli  Cox,  who  had  settled  at 
Coxe's  Grove  in  1830,  their  nearest  neighbor, 
till  1828,  when  Bartlet  Conyers  and  Henry 
Hopkins  were  added  to  the  little  settlement. 

Beardstown  or  Salem  were  the  only  places 
where  farm  produce  or  grain  could  be  sold, 
and  groceries  and  household  necessaries  pur- 
chased. At  this  time,  however,  there  was  but 
one  store  at  Salem,  kept  by  Messrs.  Hill  & 
McNamer.  In  reaching  either  of  the  above 
named  places,  the  early  settlers  found  much 
difficulty;  the  country  was  rough,  the  streams 
unbridged,  and  the  only  way  farmers  could 
travel  was  for  several  to  go  together  and 
double  up  their  yokes  of  cattle  in  the  bad 
and  difficult  places  of  the  road,  and  help  each 
other  through.  And  after  getting  their  grain 
to  market  through  these  trying  circumstances 
they  could  realize  but  10  cents  per  bushel  for 
their  corn  and  40  or  50  cents  for  their  wheat, 
the  corn  being  shelled  and  the  wheat 
threshed  by  hand. 

Bangs,  frizzes,  paint  and  lily  hands  were  un- 
known among  the  rustic  maidens  of  pioneer 
times.     They  spun  and  wove  their  own  cloth- 


180 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


iiig;  went  into  the  field  with  their  brothers 
and  fathers;  mowed,  reaped,  bound,  raked,  and 
cut  wood,  were  strong,  rugged,  and  perfect 
pictures  of  health.  But  very  little  luxury 
was  enjoyed  on  the  part  of  the  pioneer  in  these 
days;  during  the  big  snow  of  1830  and  '.31, 
many  families  lived  exclusively  for  months  on 
corn  bread  and  parched  corn,  the  meal  being 
prepared  in  a  mortar,  as  there  were  no  mills 
that  could  be  reached. 

In  184-1:  we  find  in  the  other  portion  of  the 
jirecinct  the  following  settlers:  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cress;  G.  Wood,  on  Sec.  34;  Elijah  Carver; 
James  Garner,  See.  3;  Geo.  Beggs,  Sec.  34; 
John  Sherrer,  Sec.  3.  In  1846  the  cabin  of 
Joseph  Allison  was  put  up  with  no  other 
neighbor  but  Amos  Garner,  who  lived  then  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  brother  William. 
Much  of  the  land  in  Oregon  was  sold  for  50 
and  even  25  cents  per  acre,  and  there  was 
government  land  as  late  as  1854;  the  farm 
now  owned  by  R.  P.  Bell  was  sold  that  year, 
among  one  of  the  last  pieces,  at  the  low  gov- 
ernment price  of  25  cents  per  acre. 

Game,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  county,  was 
very  plenty.  It  seems  buffalo  and  elk  once 
hid  their  habitation  here,  as  many  of  their 
bones  and  horns  were  seen  by  the  early  set- 
tlers, strewn  over  the  prairies  and  through  the 
forests.  Wolves  were  very  numerous,  though 
seldom  doing  violence  to  human  beings;  yet 
no  one  cared  to  risk  himself  at  night  among 
them  without  some  sort  of  protection.  There 
is  but  one  instance  in  the  county  where  a 
man  was  attacked  by  them,  and  that  was 
Daniel  Troy  of  Bethel,  who  returning  late  with 
a  quarter  of  beef,  was  forced  to  give  it  up  and 
to  beat  a  hasty  retreat  to  protect  himself. 

Thomas  Boycourt  was  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished hunters  in  the  precinct  while  re- 
siding on  Section  34.  His  eagle  eye  allowed  no 
deer  or  wild  turkey  to  escape  when  once  his 
trusty  rifle  was  leveled  upon  it. 

The  early  amusement  of  the  young  people 


was  principally  dancing.  An  old  settler  tells 
us,  notwi.hstanding  the  dancers  had  a  rough 
punclieuii  floor  and  no  better  beverage  to  en- 
liven their  spirits  than  home-made  whisky, 
sweetened  with  maple  sugar,  yet  it  is  doubt- 
ful if  the  anniversary  of  American  Indepen- 
dence was  ever  celebrated  in  the  State  by 
more  joyful  and  harmonious  gatherings  than 
those  who  danced  the  scamper  down,  double- 
shuffle,  Western  swing  and  half-moon,  in  the 
frontier-cabins  of  our  early  settlers,  here  in 
the  county. 

Newmansville  was  laid  out  in  1858,  by  Mr. 
W.  Newman,  who  built  a  blacksmith  shop 
and  rented  it  to  Thomas  Joyce  ;  he  after- 
wards sold  it  to  Alexander  Robinson,  who  has 
been  in  active  business  ever  since.  A  wagon 
shop  is  also  connected  with  the  blacksmith 
shop,  where  considerable  repairing  is  done  in 
that  line. 

Thomas  P.  Way  built  the  first  and  present 
store  building,  and  did  a  good  business  for 
three  years,  when  he  sold  out  to  Pilcher  and 
Murphy,  who  continued  the  business  for 
seven  or  eight  years,  when  they  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Chandlerville.  The  store  then 
changed  hands  very  frequently  for  several 
years,  or  till  1881,  when  the  present  occupant, 
J.  S.  Struble,  purchased  the  stock,  and  has 
since  been  doing  a  fair  business  for  an  inland 
country  trade.  There  are  six  residences  in 
the  village. 

The  post  office  is  generally  kept  by  the 
party  in  business.  The  office  was  first  known 
asHigley,  and  since  changed  to  Newmansville. 

The  first  doctors  in  Newmansville  were 
Kilburn  Hathwell  and  James  Galloway.  As 
the  country  began  to  settle,  Dr.  Logan  came 
in  1857,  and  has  continued  in  active  practice 
til!  within  a  few  years;  liis  health  failing  him, 
he  was  compelled  to  give  up  the  greater  por- 
tion of  his  ride.  A  young  physician,  Charles 
Matthew,  has  been  practicing  for  the  past 
four  years  with  very  good  results. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUXTY. 


IRl 


The  M.  E.  Church,  known  as  the  Orogon 
Chapel,  was  first  organized  in  1848,  by  the 
following  persons,  holding  class  and  prayer 
meetings  at  the  residence  of  John  S.  Boy- 
court,  Joseph  Allison,  R.  Robinson,  Amos  R. 
Garner,  John  and  Joseph  Allison,  Jr.,  Jam>s 
Wyatt,  and  James  R.  Garner.  These  men 
were  the  first  movers  in  the  Christian  cause 
which  has  developed  into  the  strength  and 
prosperity  of  the  present  church.  The  Soci- 
ety for  a  time  held  its  meetings  at  the  resi- 
dences of  the  different  members.  In  1855  the 
Oregon  school-house  was  built,  and  after  that 
the  Society  held  their  meetings  there.  Brother 
I.  Groves  being  the  first  minister,  who 
preached  two  years.  The  Society  continued 
to  hold  their  regular  Sabbath  services  at  the 
school-house  for  fifteen  years.  During  this  time 
the  church  was  aroused,  and  the  community, 
awakened  by  some  soul-stirring  revivals. 
Brother  Geo.  Wolfe  in  one  winter  drew  about 
thirty  converts  to  the  church  by  his  zealous 
preaching.  Brother  Warfield  several  years 
after  brought  the  community  to  a  sense  of 
Christian  duty  by  pointing  out  the  wicked- 
ness and  careless  neglect  of  the  world.  Many 
were  brought  to  Christ  and  drawn  into  the 
safe  confines  of  the  church.  Many  other  re- 
vivals, says  Brother  Allison,  have  been  held, 
though  not  so  enthusiastic  and  full  of  interest, 
yet  great  good  has  been  done. 

In  1869  or  1870  Joseph  Allison  gave  to  the 
society  a  lot  for  a  church,  upon  which  the 
present  edifice  was  built  at  an  expense  of 
$1,500.  The  building  committee  were  J.  M. 
"Wyatt,  H.  Monroe,  Wm.  Watkins,  and  Wm. 
Garner.  The  first  trustees  were:  .John  M. 
Wyatt,  Charles  Deadorf,  Samuel  Hitchey, 
Wm.  Garner,  Hooker  Monroe.  Rev.  P.  Lyons 
was  the  first  pastor  after  the  church  was  com- 
pleted. The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  George 
Fower.  Present  Trustees,  Joseph  Allison, 
Wm.  Garner,  M.  Arthurbury,  Wm.  Watkiiis 
niid  Mary  Wyatt. 


A  Sunday  school  has  always  been  kept  up 
in  connection  with  the  church.  The  first 
superintendent  was  John  S.  Bo^'court  ;  he 
began  with  twenty-five  scholars,  and  now  the 
school  has  more  than  double  the  original 
number.  W.  S.  Garner,  John  M.  Wyatt  and 
Samuel  Hinchey,  have  had  charge  of  the  Sab- 
bath school  as  superintendents  most  of  the 
time  since  the  time  of  J.  S.  Boycourt. 

The  church  has  never  been  without  a 
regular  pastor  since  it  was  built.  The  mem- 
bers are  earnest  in  the  work,  and  can  boast 
of  sixty-seven  active  members. 

Newmansville  M.  E.  Church  society  was  first 
organized  at  the  residence  of  Bartlet  Conyers, 
a  resident  of  Menard  County,  living  just 
across  the  line.  In  the  spring  of  1829,  Rev. 
David  Carter  preached  at  his  cabin,  which 
was  the  first  meeting  and  preaching  in  that 
community  ;  the  following  families  wore 
present :  David  Williams  and  wife,  Joseph 
Regsdell  and  wife,  and  Mr.  Conyers  and  wife. 
That  constituted  the  nucleus  around  which 
the  early  religious  interest  clustered.  Rev. 
Mr.  Carter  resided  in  the  county  and  visited 
the  neighborhood  often  on  his  pious  mission. 
The  first  circuit  ministers  were  Revs.  McKane 
and  Benson. 

In  1840,  the  Church  Society  united  with 
the  community  in  general,  built  a  school 
house  with  the  understanding  that  it  should 
be  used  for  church  purposes  as  well  as  school. 
In  1855,  the  society  built  their  present  church, 
where  they  have  held  regular  Sabbath  services 
ever  since. 

Peter  Cartwright  was  the  first  presiding  el- 
der. The  church  is  progressive,  and  has  a  mem- 
bership of  sixty,  with  a  flourishing  Sabbath 
school  of  nearly  the  same  number. 

The  school  house  known  as  the  Quebec 
school,  was  built  about  the  year  1840,  by 
Messrs.  Mathews,  Garner,  Carver  and  Wood. 
Previous  to  the  building  of  this  school  house, 
the   children   of  the  community  were   much 


182 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


neglected,  as  they  were  compelled  to  walk 
from  three  to  five  miles,  a  distance  that 
would  exhaust  both  mind  and  bod^',  and  a 
pupil  could  do  but  little  in  applying  the  mind 
alter  such  a  distance  had  been  traveled.  Some 
of  the  first  scholars  were  William,  Martha  and 
David  Crews,  Nancy  Carver,  Charles  Carver, 
Henry,  Jerry,  and  Katie  Sherrer.  Wm.  Pal- 
lett  and  Miss  D.  Major,  were  among  the  first 
teachers.  The  school  has  been  in  active 
operation  ever  since,  employing  the  best 
teachers,  and  a  high  grade  of  studies  are 
usually  taught. 


The  Oregon  school  house  was  built  in  1855. 
This  was  a  good  work,  from  which  much  edu- 
cational fruit  has  been  realized.  The  first 
teacher  was  Jefferson  Boycourt,  and  some  of 
the  first  scholars  were  Ellen  and  James  Rob- 
inson, Amos  Wilson,  Martha  Wyatt,  Mary 
Boycourt.  This  school  is  among  the  most 
progressive  of  the  precinct 

Let  knowledge  grow  from  more  to  more. 

But  more  of  reverence  in  us  dwell, 

That  mind  and  soul,  according  well, 

May  make  one  music  as  before, 

But  vaster.  Tenntson. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


183 


CHAPTEE   XX.* 

HICKORY   PRECINCT  —  PHYSICAL    FEATURES  —  FIRST   SETTLEMENT   AND    SUBSEQUENT 
GROWTH— PROGRESS  OF  INDUSTRIES  AND  IMPROVEMENTS- 
CHURCHES  AND  SCHOOLS. 


THIS  precinct  in  almost  every  respect  is  su- 
perior to  any  other  in  the  county.  Its 
fertile  soil,  valuable  timber,  winding  streams 
and  beautiful  lakes,  cannot  fail  to  be  appre- 
ciated bj'  the  most  indifferent  or  sluggish 
mind.  Its  garden-landscape,  spreading  out 
from  the  river  till  its  undulating  folds  lap  over 
the  feet  of  the  hills,  which  stand  like  martial 
sentinels  guarding  the  plumed  fields  that  di- 
versify the  bosom  of  that  extended  scope,  is  a 
scene  of  which  the  eye  can  never  tire.  San- 
gamon river,  that  deep,  swift  stream,  winding 
along  its  northern  border;  Clear  Lake  and 
various  gorges  or  chasms  which  are  cut  deep- 
ly into  the  soil,  disslosing  perpendicular  em- 
bankments, furnish  abundant  material  upon 
which  the  hand  of  art  in  future  years  may 
labor.  Each  lake,  each  stream,  each  hill  and 
vale,  will  be  in  time  associated  with  some 
event  around  which  the  fairy  fingers  of  hal- 
lowed recollections  will  entwine  the  sweet 
flowers  of  other  years.  Even  at  this  early  day 
local  names  spring  up  from  surrounding 
events,  names  that  will  live  when  those  per- 
sons associated  with  them,  have  long  since 
passed  into  oblivion.  Other  names  will  come, 
as  time  sweeps  onward,  and  for  the  pleasure 
and  satisfaction  of  those  who  live  in  the 
future,  these,  and  the  circumstances  which 
gave  them  birth,  must  be  carefully  recorded. 

"The  sweet  remembrance  of  the  just, 
Like  a  green  root  revives  and  hears 
A  train  of  blessings  for  his  heirs 
When  dying  nature  sleeps  in  Just." 

•By  J.  h.  Nichols. 


A  greater  portion  of  Hickory  Precinct  is 
made  up  of  bottom  land,  the  Sangamon  River 
forming  its  northern  boundary,  and  from 
which  on  each  side  a  broad  strip  of  deep,  rich 
and  sandy  soil  extends.  This  is  the  best  and 
most  productive  farm  land  in  the  county;  all 
kinds  of  grain  and  all  manner  of  fruit  that  the 
climate  of  Illinois  will  permit  to  grow,  flourish 
here  in  rich  and  luxuriant  abundance;  ex- 
treme seasons,  whether  wet  or  dry,  do  not 
seem  to  affect  the  yield  of  grain  or  the  abun- 
dance of  fruit;  it  is  land  that  never  fails,  or, 
at  least,  never  has  failed,  to  produce  a  grain 
crop  since  the  first  settler  touched  his  plow  to 
its  virgin  soil.  "  It  is  a  land  that  flows  with 
milk  and  honey." 

The  early  settlers  feared  these  bottoms; 
many,  looking  for  land  and  homes,  passed  by 
and  settled  on  farms  that  by  years  of  cult- 
ure, and  with  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of 
improvements,  to-dav  is  not  worth  one-half  as 
much  per  acre  as  the  bottom  land  without 
fences  and  unimproved,  which  they  could 
have  purchased  for  less  money.  They  feared 
the  ague  floods,  and  fevers,  and  would  not  ex- 
pose themselves  and  families  to  such  supposed 
dangers.  The  land  which  they  could  have 
purchased  for  $1.25  per  acre,  now  sells  readi- 
ly for  $100  per  acre. 

The  upland,  of  which  the  Southern  portion 
of  the  precinct  is  composed,  is  very  hilly  and 
broken.  It  is  largely  used  for  pasture  lands, 
as  there  is  comparatively  but  little  that  can 
be  conveniently  cultivated.  There  is  con- 
siderable timber  over  this   broken    territory. 


184 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


It  formerly  was  found  only  along  the  streams 
a:i(l  ravines  that  wind  around  among  the  hills, 
but  of  later  years  it  has  been  gradually  creep- 
ing up  the  sides  of  those  miniature  mountains, 
until  their  bald  heads  have  become  completely 
covered  with  a  young  and  rapid  growth  of 
of  timber.  There  is  also  some  good  timber 
found  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  pre- 
cinct, on  the  banks  of  the  Sangamon. 

Many  small  ravines  have  furrowed  broad 
and  deep  channels  through  the  soil  in  their 
course  to  the  river.  There  are  no  streams, 
however,  that  continue  to  flow  the  year 
round  except  in  very  extraordinary  wet 
seasons. 

Job's  Creek,  passing  through  the  North- 
eastern corner  of  the  precinct,  is,  in  some 
seasons  of  the  year,  a  very  extraordinary 
stream.  It  empties  into  a  small  chain  of 
lakes  which  in  places  are  never  less  than  sev- 
eral fathoms  in  depth.  In  high  water  this 
miniature  river  almost  becomes  a  Niagara, 
roaring,  rushing  and  sweeping  everything  be- 
fore it. 

The  first  settlers  that  dare  risk  life  and 
health  on  the  sickly  bottoms  of  the  Sangamon, 
of  wiiich  there  was  so  much  dread,  were  John 
Baker,  Amos  Hager,  John  Carr  with  his  sons 
Elish,  Peter,  William,  Benjamin,  Jeremiah 
and  Divid,  and  John  Wagner,  a  son-in-law 
of  Mr.  Carr's;  of  these,  John  Baker  was  the 
first,  and  probably  came  as  early  as  1823. 
Mr.  Hager  and  Mr.  Carr  and  family  came 
sometime  during  the  year  of  1824.  Mr. 
Baker  settled  on  the  land  now  owned  by 
Thomas  Knapp,  and  Mr.  Carr  and  family  on 
the  site  of  what  is  now  called  the  Brick  Cor- 
ners. S.  Richardson,  Solomon  Penny  and  I. 
Revis  came  about  1827,  Mr.  Richardson  oc- 
cupying the  land  now  known  as  the  Frederick 
Bower  farm,  and  Mr.  Penny  settling  on  the 
land  now  owned  by  Richard  Tink.  Of  all  of 
these  there  is  but  one  living,  Mr.  James  Carr, 
who  resides   in   Fulton    County.     There  are 


but  two  grandsons  of  John  Carr  remaining  in 
the  precinct,  David  and  Dallas  Carr.  These 
are  the  sons  of  David  Carr,  Sen.,  who  married 
Miss  Julia  A.  Wells,  who  is  still  living,  as  al- 
most the  only  representative  of  the  early  set- 
tlors of  Hickory  Precinct.  She  at  present 
resides  in  Chandlerville,  and  to  her  we  are  in- 
debted for  much  of  the  early  history  that  is 
connected  with  the  first  settlement  of  the 
precinct. 

In  1828  and  1829  the  following  families 
were  added  to  the  scattering  community; 
Daniel  Wells,  Robert  Ivers,  Widow  Stuart 
and  Benjamin  Horrom.  Mr.  Wells  came  with 
nine  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  settled  three 
miles  West  of  Hickory. 

The  first  settlers  were  compelled  to  go  to 
Jacksonville  for  their  mail,  groceries,  etc.,  till 
Thomas  Pogne  and  Augustus  Knapp  started 
a  small  store  at  Beardstown.  When  Mr. 
Daniel  Wells  came  to  Beardstown,  in  1828, 
Thomas  Board  was  keeping  a  hotel  in  a  small 
log  cabin.  Mr.  Wells  came  up  the  Illinois 
riverin  the  steamer  known  as  the  Dewitt  Clin- 
ton the  first  trip  she  ever  made.  The  settlers 
that  were  on  the  bottoms  during  the  deep 
snow  were  John  Baker,  Amos  Hager,  I.  Revis, 
Solomon  Penny,  S.  Richardson,  Daniel  Wells, 
John  Carr,  John  Wagner,  Jeremiah  Bowen, 
William  Scott,  Michael  Pearson  and  a  Mr. 
Anderson. 

During  the  autumn  of  1830,  previous  to  the 
big  snow,  wild  fruit  was  very  abundant; 
plums,  berries,  and  grapes  have  never  seemed 
so  plenty  since.  Wild  bees  were  numerous 
and  honey  very  plenty;  bees  seemed  to  flour- 
ish in  a  wild  state  better  than  they  have  later 
years.  The  bottoms  were  then,  during  the 
summer  months,  but  a  vast  and  unbroken 
ocean  of  beautiful  flowers,  whose  sweetness 
were  ample  to  the  wants  of  the  buzzing  mil- 
lions which  fed  upon  them. 

There  was  much  suffering  during  the  win- 
ter  of  the    big   snow;   it  was   impossible  to 


HISTORY   OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


IS") 


reach  mills,  towns,  or  any  place  where  provis- 
ions and  clothing  could  be  procured.  Many 
families  had  no  greater  luxuries  for  months 
than  cracked  and  boiled  corn,  with  now  and 
then  a  little  venison.  Deer  during  that  winter 
became  very  poor,  and  so  reduced  by  hunger 
that  they  entered  the  yards  of  the  settlers  in 
search  of  hay  and  scattering  husks.  At  this 
time  there  was  no  nearer  mill  than  Salem; 
people  found  it  very  difficult  and  tedious  to 
to  travel  that  distance,  and  a  Mr.  Street,  tak- 
ing in  the  situation,  put  up  a  horse  mill  about 
half  way  between  Hickory  and  the  present 
site  of  Virginia,  and  did  an  immense  business, 
running  night  and  day  year  after  year.  Farm- 
ers, in  order  to  secure  their  turn  in  time  to  re- 
turn the  same  day,  often  would  start  at  mid- 
night, or  even  before,  and  remain  nearly  all 
day  at  the  mill  before  they  could  secure  their 
grist. 

In  the  fall  of  183-i,  the  first  subscription 
school  was  organized,  and  taught  by  B.  F. 
Nelson  in  a  vacated  log  cabin  on  the  premises 
of  David  Carr,  Sen.  Early  in  the  autumn 
Mr.  Nelson  made  his  appearance  in  the  settle- 
ment, and  solicited  the  privilege  of  getting 
up  a  school.  Mr.  Carr  gladly  gave  him  the 
use  of  the  cabin  above  mentioned,  and  fur- 
thermore, agreed  to  board  him  while  engaged 
in  the  mission  of  teaching.  He  was  a  man  of 
prepossessing  appearance,  a  scholar  and  a 
gentleman,  but  after  getting  nicely  initiated 
into  the  work,  he  was  found  to  be  a  man 
decidely  wanting  in  energy  and  industry, 
and  at  times  beastly  intemperate,  and  in  no 
way  fitted  to  stimulate  the  morals  and  minds 
of  bis  pupils.  But  as  no  other  teacher  could 
be  secured,  he  was  tolerated,  with  a  fair  at- 
tendance of  scholars,  till  sometime  in  the  last 
of  February  or  the  first  of  March,  when,  by 
gross  neglect,  he  left  the  fire  in  such  condi- 
tion when  leaving  the  building  that  it  caught 
fire  and  burned  up,  thus  bringing  the  school 
very  suddenly  to  a  close. 


The  cabin  was  located  within  a  few  rods  of 
the  present  residence  of  Jacob  Houke.  Some 
of  the  scholars  that  attended  this  were:  John 
Wells,  Harvey,  Elizabeth  and  Nancy  Carr, 
Eliza  Ann  Turner,  Philora  Willis,  John  Hagor, 
Jacob  Monroe,  David  Wagner,  Peter  Wag- 
ner, and  the  boys  of  Wm.  Cole.  The  second 
school  that  was  taught  in  the  precinct,  was 
on  the  premises  of  Wm.  Cole,  who  built  a 
small  cabin,  especially  for  that  purpose,  and 
freely  donated  its  use  to  any  one  qualified 
and  willing  to  teach.  Qualification  then  and 
now  were  decidely  two  different  things.  At 
that  day  any  one  that  had  the  mechanical 
skill  to  cut  out  and  trim  up  a  quill  pen,  an  1 
read  and  figure  interest,  was  considered  well 
qualified  if  he  had  the  muscle  necessary  for 
applying  the  rod  or  ruler.  The  first  teacher 
that  availed  himself  of  Mr.  Cole's  generous 
offer  was  Carlatan  Logan,  who,  in  the  winter 
of  1830,  taught  a  very  good  and  satisfactory 
school.  Some  of  the  scholars  that  attended 
this  school  were  C.  Bowen,  Ruth  and  Mar- 
garet Bovven,  Jacob  Pearson,  Sallie  and 
Austin  Scott,  William  and  Naomi  Revis, 
Mary  Jane  Briar,  children  of  W.  Cole,  and 
Carrie  and  Oliver  Carr.  The  school  was  well 
attended,  and  many  others  attended,  whose 
names  cannot  be  recalled. 

About  1840,  a  log  school-house  was  erected 
at  Hickory,  David  Carr,  Sen.,  giving  the  land 
upon  which  it  was  built.  A  Mr.  .lames  Grant 
was  among  the  first  teachers.  Hs,  taking  his 
bitters  a  little  too  frequently,  which  often  got 
the  better  of  him,  was  the  greatest  objection 
that  the  community  had  against  him. 

In  1857,  a  wooden  frame  building  was 
raised  near  the  site  of  the  old  log  house, 
where  school  was  continued  till  the  present 
neat  and  convenient  brick  building  was  com- 
pleted. It  is  nicely  finished,  seated  and 
painted,  and  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  nices; 
country  school-buildings  in  the  county.  It 
was  begun  and  completed  in  1881,  and  coit 


18C 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


$1,200.  The  committee  that  had  the  plan- 
ning and  building  in  charge  was  made  up  of 
David  Carr,  Jr.,  William  Taylor  and  Andrew 
Schaad;  they  being  the  directors  elect,  were 
considered  competent  without  oiEcial  instruc- 
tion to  design  and  complete  the  work. 

Previous  to  the  building  of  the  present 
brick,  L.  U.  Re  vis  taught  some  five  years  in 
succession.  He  was  considered  among  the 
best  and  most  active  teachers  that  ever  taught 
ill  the  district.  He  is  a  man  now  well  known 
over  the  entire  United  States,  as  the  author 
and  able  advocate  of  moving  the  national 
capital  to  St.  Louis,  and  those  who  have  read 
his  speeches  and  pamphlets  on  that  subject 
cannot  but  be  impressed  with  the  weighty 
and  forcible  logic  of  his  arguments. 

The  district  was  formerly  much  larger  than 
at  the  present  time.  In  ISfiO  or  1861,  the  voters 
began  to  talk  about  replacing  the  old  build- 
ing with  a  new  one,  but  the  northern  portion 
of  the  district  objected  unless  the  new  build- 
ing was  so  placed  that  it  divided  more  evenly 
the  distance  between  the  northern  and  south- 
ern portions  of  the  district  ;  this  was  refused, 
and  the  northern  part  of  the  original  district 
seceded  and  built  a  school-house  for  them- 
selves, where  they  have  been  very  progres- 
sive and  earnest  in  keeping  up  a  lively  inter- 
est in  their  school.  This  school  is  known  as 
the  Secession  school,  a  term  synonymous 
with  its  origin.  There  is  one  other  school  in 
the  precinct,  which  is  known  as  the  Cotton 
Wood  school.  This  is  situated  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  precinct,  on  section  11,  and  is 
among  one  of  the  progressive  schools  of  the 
county.  Hickory  school  pays  the  largest 
salary  to  teachers.  The  directors  there  pay 
from  140  to  $(50  per  laonth.  The  people  are 
fast  realizing  that  a  few  dollars  per  month  in 
a  teacher's  salary  is  not  at  all  to  be  considered 
or  com]5ared  to  a  poor  school  in  the  hands  of 
a  cheap  teacher.  ^ 

Tliere  are  a  few  facts  of  more  tlian  onliiarv 


interest  connected  with  the  history  of  the 
precinct,  facts  that  will  stand  associated  with 
the  names  of  the  great  actors  that  gave  them 
birth,  when  the  marble  and  bronze  upon 
which  their  epitaphs  are  lettered  and  their 
names  engraved,  have  crumbled  and  been  de- 
faced. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the  great  American 
orator  and  statesman,  made  his  first  public 
speech  in  Hickory  Precinct,  under  a  walnut 
tree,  long  since  dead  and  removed.  The  little 
American  giant  and  the  giant  of  the  forest 
alike  have  yielded  to  the  withering  touch  of 
time  and  decay,  and  passed  away.  Several 
years  ago  the  old  walnut  died,  and  Gen. 
Lippincott  in  his  deep  veneration  for  the 
the  name  of  the  great  American  champion, 
purchased  the  tree,  had  it  made  into  furniture 
and  canes.  The  latter  he  presented  to  his 
friends,  and  they  are  .now  carried  in  almost 
every  State  of  the  Union,  and  will  be  treas- 
ured by  father  and  son  for  generations  to 
come  as  relics  of  priceless  value.  Gen.  John 
J.  Harding,  who  was  killed  in  the  Mexican 
War,  lost  his  eye  on  the  Sangamon  Bottoms, 
in  Hickory  Precinct,  while  pursuing  a  deer. 
Col.  E.  D.  Baker,  who  lead  the  Union  forces 
across  the  Potomac  at  Ball's  Bluff,  and  died 
so  nobly  in  defending  the  Hag  of  his  country, 
the  man  who,  if  he  had  lived,  would  have 
risen  to  have  smothered  treason  in  the  very 
birth-place  of  liberty,  often  hunted  on  the 
bottoms  of  the  precinct,  coming  annually  for 
years  to  pursue  the  chase,  and  rest  from  the 
fatiguing  and  confining  labors  of  his  e.xtensive 
law  practice.  But  he  is  gone,  and  died  the 
death  of  a  patriot. 

"  To  every  man  upon  this  earth 

Death  cometh  soon  or  late, 
And  how  can  man  die  better 

Than  facing  fearful  odds, 
For  the  ashes  of  his  fathers 

And  the  temples  of  his  gods.' 

Tn  the  broad  bottom  of  the  Sangamon  river. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


187 


the  solitary  settlers  in  the  early  days  of  their 
pioneer  struggles,  rejoiced  to  hear  the  early 
messengers  of  God  proclaim  the  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy,  or  wept  at  the  story  of  Pilate, 
the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  agonies  of  Gol- 
gotha and  Calvary.  It  is  a  fact  highly  com- 
mendable to  the  early  settlers  of  Hickory 
Precinct,  that  with  all  their  trials  incident  to 
settlement  in  a  new  and  undeveloped  country, 
nought  but  hardships  and  poorly  compensated 
labor  to  weary  and  burden  the  mind,  they  did 
not  forget  nor  forsake  their  God,  the  source 
of  all  life,  light  and  happiness. 

On  the  fifth  Sabbath  of  July,  1848,  we  find 
a  few  Christian  families  assembled  about  five 
rods  east  of  the  present  residence  of  Robert 
Taylor,  under  a  temperary  shelter  made  by 
setting  a  few  posts  into  the  ground  and  hast- 
ily covered  with  brush.  The  services  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  Daniel  Bell,  who  was  then 
residing  in  Mason  County,  at  Bath  or  there- 
abouts, and  being  a  special  and  intimate  friend 
of  Mr.  Morgan,  then  a  renter. on  the  premises 
where  the  meetings  were  held,  and  having 
a  vacation  about  that  time,  he  was  induced  by 
him  to  come  and  preach  to  a  few  families  un- 
der the  circumstances  above  mentioned.  After 
continuing  the  meetings  about  one  week,  and 
finding  so  much  religious  interest  manifested, 
it  was  thought  advisable  to  continue  the  meet- 
inars  and  secure  additional  clerical  assistance. 
Revs,  .fames  White,  then  residing  on  a  farm 
at  Clary's  Grove,  and  Nathan  Downing,  of 
Virginia,  were  then  sent  for,  and  in  the  mean- 
time the  place  of  meeting  was  moved  to  or 
near  the  present  site  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church  building,  in  a  grove  (since 
cut  away).  A  stand  was  prepared  between 
two  native  cherry  trees,  for  the  ministers,  and 
rude  seats  arranged  under  the  cooling  canopy 
of  leaves,  for  the  audience.  These  meetings 
continued  about  three  weeks  in  this  beautiful 
grove,  people  gathering  from  far  and  near  to 
hear  God's  glorious  truth  proclaimed  amid  the 


hymns  of  praise  that  in  the  open  air  were 
wafted  heavenward  in  a  loud  chorus  of  re- 
joicing voices. 

"The  groves  were  God's  first  temples." 
These  meetings  were,  no  doubt,  the  most 
interesting  ever  held  along  the  Sangamcm 
bottoms;  about  sixty  souls  were  converted 
and  added  to  the  believing  followers  of 
Christ. 

In  August,  1848,  a  session  was  convened 
for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church,  consisting  of  Revs.  Down- 
ing and  White,  and  Lachlin  McNeil,  Elder 
of  Mount  Pleasant  church,  and  opportunity 
being  given  to  join  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church,  the  following  members  came 
foward  and  gave  a  relation  of  their  experi- 
mental acquaintance  with  the  religion  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  was  considered  satisfac- 
tory, and  they  were  received  as  members  of 
the  church,  viz :  Thomas  Wilson,  George, 
William,  Charles,  Elizabeth  and  Ellen  Briar, 
Susan,  Mary  Jane  and  Cyrus  Horrom,  Wni. 
Cook,  Thomas  Montgomery,  James  Fairon, 
Thomas  and  Ann  Cooper,  Emeline  Anderson, 
Elizabeth  Richardson,  Hannah  Capper,  Su- 
sannah Harrington,  Mary  Carr,  Sarah  Horn, 
Aiigeline  Torry,  Manelis  More,  an  1  J.Coolv. 
These  after  being  duly  enrolled,  were  soon  af- 
terward baptized  by  the  Rev.  N.  H.  Dow- 
ning. The  church  also  received  the  following 
by  experience:  John  Horrom,  .J.un^s  Briar, 
Mary  Briar,  Joseph  Cook,  Sidney  Ann  B  iar, 
Mary  Briar,  Janet  Taylor,  Eliza  Canby  and 
Wright  Gill,  all  of  whom  had  been  previously 
baptized. 

The  above  named  converts  having  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  organize  a  church,  Robert 
Tavlor  having  presented  a  certificate  of  mem- 
bership in  Mount  Pleasant  congregation,  de- 
sired to  unite  with  them,  and  was  unanimously 
accepted  and  became  a  member. 

In  the  organization  of  the  church,  N.  H. 
Downing  was  installed  as  the  regular  pastor, 


1?8 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


and  Robert  Taylor,  Thomas  Wilson  and 
George  Briar,  were  elected  by  the  Congrega- 
tion to  the  office  of  ruling  Elders,  and  were 
ordained  by  Rev.  N.  H.  Downing,  and  Thomas 
Wilson  was  elected  Session  Clerk. 

After  the  above  mentioned  elections  and 
business  transactions,  they  decided  to  con- 
tinue regular  weekly  meetings  at  the  Hickory 
school  house,  where  they  met  regularly  every 
Sabbath  till  1849,  when  they  built  their  pres- 
ent church  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  besides  the  la- 
bor that  was  voluntarily  given. 

The  lot  of  the  chuich  was  purchased  from 
H.  Horrom,  and  deeded  to  the  trustees  of  the 
church.  The  building  committee  was  made  up 
of  the  following  members,  viz.:  John  Horrom 
and  Archibald  Taylor.  The  following  mem- 
bers were  elected  trustees  of  the  church:  Rob- 
ert Taylor,  John  Horrom,  Archibald  Taylor, 
Win.  Briar,  and  Ralph  Morgan;  of  these, 
Robert  and  Archibald  Taylor  are  the  only 
two  living  members,  and  virtually  the  only 
trustees  of  the  church.  Rev.  N.  H.  Downing 
was  the  first  pastor  of  the  new  chuich;  and.the 
most  prominent  ministers  from  that  time  to 
the  present  were:  Abram  Goodpasture,  Wm. 
Bell,  David  Jolley,  R.  S.  Schull,  Amos  Cox, 
J.  E.  Roach,  and  David  Jolley,  the  latter  being 
present  pastor;  also  was  pastor  some  fifteen 
years  previous.  The  church  has  never  been 
without  a  regular  salaried  minister  since  it  was 
built.  Peace  and  prosperity  have  attended 
the  growth  and  progress  of  the  society;  God 
has  blessed  it,  and  great  good  has  been  ac- 
complished, and  its  influence  has  reached  far 
and  wide. 

Many  years  since  the  Baptists  and  Presby- 
terians united  in  organizing  a  Sabbath  school. 
It  has  been  very  prosperous  and  progressives 
some  fifty  scholars  are  in  attendance.  No 
nobler  work  could  enlist  the  united  eft'orts 
of  the  chiirches.  Several  years  ago  an  organ 
was  purchased,  and  more  life  and  interest 
addid  to   the  school.     Mnggie  Taylor,   Alice 


Kendall,  Emma  Fieldeii,  and  Miss  M.  Taylor, 
have  officiated  as  oi-g  mists.  D.  J.  Cole, 
David  Carr,  and  Robert  Fielden  have  been 
Sabbath  school  superintendents  most  of  the 
time,  the  latter  being  the  present  superin- 
tendent. 

The  Missionary  Baptist  Church  at  Hickory, 
was  first  organized  in  a  small  log  cabin  on  the 
premises  of  Wm.  Cole,  built  by  him  especial- 
ly for  school  and  religious  purposes.  Mr. 
Cole  was  the  prime  mover  and  the  most  active 
member  in  the  little  society.  A  man  whose 
purse  as  well  as  heart  was  open  to  the  Chris- 
tian cause. 

Rev.  John  Daniels,  originally  from  the  State 
of  Virginia,  was  the  first  minister  that  preach- 
ed to  the  little  band  of  devoted  followers  of 
Christ.  Services  at  the  little  cabin  were 
continued  for  two  years  or  more,  with  a 
growing  interest.  A  Baptist  church  society 
was  then  organized,  September  29,  1838,  with 
the  following  members,  viz.:  William  Cole, 
John  Hicks,  Amos  Smith,  Thomas  J.  Mosloy, 
Mrs.  Ellen  Cole,  Lucy  Smith  and  Mrs.  J. 
Logan. 

After  the  society  had  completed  a  prelim- 
inary organization,  T.  J.  Mosley  was  ap- 
pointed to  attend  the  Springfield  Baptist 
Association,  to  request  admittance  into  their 
union,  which  was  unanimously  granted.  Mr. 
Amos  Smith  was  appointed  to  write  the 
church  letters,  with  the  approval  of  the 
pastor. 

In  1839,  a  revival  of  more  than  usual  in- 
terest was  held  at  their  regular  place  of  meet- 
ing by  Rev.  John  Daniels,  and  the  following 
persons  were  converted  and  baptized:  Mary 
E.  Cole,  Nancy  Cooper,  James  M.  Kemper, 
Allen  Ingram,  Robert  Cole,  Wm.  W.  Cole, 
B.  J.  Smith,  Lydia  Smith,  Eliza  Cooper, 
James  Ingram,  and  M.  Ingram  ;  and  Luther 
A.  Jones,  Druzilla  Jones  and  Nancy  May 
were  received  by  letter. 

In  1811,  or  thereabouts,  the  Hickory  sciiool 


SQ  Oytn^cC    /C  cu 


uAA 


UNlVt*^^ 


•1  >■ 


,,»9. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY. 


191 


house  was  built  near  the  site  of  the  present 
school  building,  and  the  Baptist  Society  find- 
ing their  place  of  meeting  too  small  to  accom- 
modate their  increasing  numbers,  adjourned 
to  the  school  house,  where  they  continued 
meeting  till  their  present  church  was  built. 
They  held  their  services  in  the  school  build- 
ing in  winter,  and  in  the  little  grove  near  the 
school  building  (since  cut  away)  in  summer. 

It  was  quite  customary  in  that  early  day 
for  a  large  proportion  of  the  settlers  to 
shoulder  their  rifles  and  spend  the  holy  Sab- 
l)ath  in  pursuing  the  game  of  the  country,  as 
there  was  little  of  a  religious  character  to  in- 
terest a  roving,  hunting  disposition,  and  at 
these  meetings  held  in  the  grove,  the  hunters 
would  gather  from  the  hills  and  the  bottoms, 
stack  their  guns  and  listen  to  the  sermons  of 
Rev.  Daniels,  who  being  a  man  of  eloquence 
as  well  as  piety,  soon  converted  many  of  these 
Sabbath  breaking  wanderers,  and  the  crack 
of  the  rifle  on  the  sacred  Sabbath  was  much 
less  frequently  heard.  The  present  church 
was  built  in  1853,  and  Mr.  Wm.  Cole,  Sr., 
contributed  about  half  the  fund;  it  is  a  neat 
convenient  frame  building,  costing  some 
11,500  to  complete  it. 

The  building  committee  were  R.  S.  Cole, 
D.  J.  Cole,  L.  M.  Jones  and  T.  Smith.  The 
church  at  this  time  had  some  thirty  members 
to  contribute  to  its  support. 

The  first  board  of  trustees  was  made  up  of 
the  following  members:  D.  J.  Cole,  Luther 
M.  Jones  and  James  Fielding,  the  latter  be- 
ing the  only  trustee  of  the  church  remaining 
in  the   settlement.     Rev.  Mr.  Hays,  in  1854, 


held  an  interesting  series  of  protracted  meet- 
ings at  the  church,  and  many  were  converted 
and  added  to  the  church.  Rev.  John  Daniels 
was  the  first  and  also  the  last  pastor  of  the 
church.  He  was  pastor  a  greater  portion  of 
the  time  from  the  founding  of  the  church  till 
his  death.  A  subscription  is  now  being  taken 
up  to  erect  a  monument  to  his  memory  ; 
money  could  not  be  contributed  to  a  worthier 
cause  or  nobler  purpose.  Rev.  John  Daniels 
was  one  of  the  first  ministers  of  Hickory  pre- 
cinct; long,  tireless  and  faithful  were  his  labors 
in  the  service  of  the  Master.  He  has  o-one  to 
his  long  home. 

Since  the  death  of  Rev.  Daniels,  no  regular 
Sabbath  services  have  been  held,  and  no  reg- 
ular salaried  minister  employed.  Many  of 
the  old  members  have  moved  to  other  parts, 
others  have  died,  and  are  sleeping  beneath 
the  changing  shadows  of  the  hills,  and  so 
weakened  the  membership  of  the  church, 
that  the  few  scattered  families  remaining  find 
it  very  difficult  to  revive  its  former  interest, 
or  build  up  its  decaying  strength. 

In  conclusion,  we  shall  only  say  that  far- 
mers of  the  precinct  as  a  general  thing,  are 
well  to  do,  or  wealthy  and  prosperous.  They 
have  seen  the  Sangamon  Bottom  changed 
from  a  wilderness  of  tangled  grass,  dense 
brush,  and  scrubby  trees,  overflowed  and 
steaming  with  poison  and  miasma,  shaking 
the  inhabitants  with  ague  and  burning  them 
with  malignant  fever,  to  a  garden  spot  of 
Illinois,  surpassing  in  loveliness  and  fertility 
anything  we  have  ever  seen. 


BIOGRAPHICAL     SKETCHES. 


VIRGINIA-CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


THE  BLACK  FAMILY.  —  William 
Black.  The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
William  Black,  a  militia  captain,  during  the 
approach  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  officers  of  the  country  who  re- 
fused allegiance  to  the  British  crown.  He  died 
about  the  time  the  war  commenced.  ^His  wife's 
maiden  name  was  Beard.  Thomas  G.  Black, 
one  of  his  sons  was  born  in  January,  1772, 
in  Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C.  He  married 
Miss  Polly,  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth (Shepherd)  Callahan,  Feb.  26,  1795. 
She  was  born  April  7,  1773.  Her  fa- 
ther was  of  Irish,  and  her  mother  of  Ger- 
man, descent.  Thomas  G.  departed  this  life 
Nov.  20,  1823,  and  his  wife,  Polly,  died 
March  20,  1853.  William,  who  still  lives  in 
Virginia,  in  Cass  County,  is  one  of  the  off- 
spring of  this  union,  and  was  born  in  Geor- 
gia, Jan.  3,  1796.  He  married  in  Tennessee, 
Dec.  4,  1823,  Miss  Mary  S.,  daughter  of 
Dixon  and  Susan  Vaughn.  She  was  born 
Nov.  1,  1803,  and  as  a  result  of  this  union, 
they  have  born  to  them  ten  children.  Six  of 
their  oldest  were  born  in  Tennessee,  and  the 
remaining  four  in  Morgan,  now  Scott,  County, 
HI.  Thomas  G.,  the  eldest  of  these,  was 
born  .fune  15,  1828.  He  served  as  a  colonel 
of  the  Third  Missouri  Cavalry,  in  the  late 
■war,  about  three  years,  and  is  now  practicing 
medicine  at  Clayton,  Adams  County,  this 
State. 


Amanda  C,  was  born  May  25,  1S2G.  She 
died  July  33,  1837. 

Joseph  F.,  was  born  Feb.  23,  1828. 
Was  six  years  of  age  when  the  family  moved 
to  Illinois,  and  consequently  received  his  ru- 
diraental  schooling  in  Scott  County.  His 
father  came  to  Cass  County  in  1846,  and 
Joseph  commenced  business  for  himself  as  a 
farmer,  and  followed  it  for  several  years. 
Being  of  a  mechanical  turn  of  mind,  he  be- 
came engrossed  in  the  invention  of  a  self-rak- 
ing reaper.  With  years  of  experimenting, 
and  the  expenditure  of  some  money,  he  de- 
veloped a  successfully  working  machine,  upon 
which  he  secured  a  patent  in  1856,  and  the 
binding  attachment  he  sold  to  the  Wood 
Reaper  Manufacturing  Company,  and  the 
same  is  now  in  use  on  their  machines.  Mr. 
Black  is  an  architect  of  several  years'  success- 
ful experience.  Has  erected  on  contract 
many  of  the  best  buildings  of  Virginia,  Jack- 
sonville, and  also  built  the  Christian  Church 
at  Springfield,  111.,  in  1880-81.  Since  1876, 
he  has  been  a  resident  of  Virginia.  He  has 
been  twice  married;  first  to  Miss  Mary  F. 
Wilmott,  daughter  of  Charles  R.  Wilmott,  a 
resident  of  Morgan  County.  She  died  Jan. 
26,  1879,  leaving  five  children,  Charles 
W.,  Mary  B.,  now  Mrs.  Armsted  Mains,  a 
farmer  of  Cass  County,  Eva  L.,  or  Mrs.  Win. 
G.  Payne,  of  Virginia.  Robert  W.  and 
Joseph  F..  jr.,  reside  at  home.      May  2,  1882, 


194 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


Mr.  Black  again  married,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Skiles, 
of  Virginia,  widow  of  Ignatius  Skiles  (de- 
ceased). Mr.  Black  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  K.  of  H. 

William  L.,  was  born  June  8, 1829.  He 
commenced  life  as  a  farmer  in  Cass  County. 
and  continued  in  that  business  until  the  fall 
of  1878,  and  in  187J  entered  mercantile  busi- 
ness with  his  brother,  John,  under  firm  name 
of  Black  Brothers,  in  Virginia.  March  3ith, 
1837,  he  married  Miss  Adromcha,  daughter 
of  Alexander  and  Martha  (Clark)  Naylor, 
natives  of  Kentucky.  She  died  Jan.  ifl, 
1879,  leaving  three  daughters:  Alice,  Carrie 
and  Fannie.  Mrs.  Black  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  Church,  as  is  also  Mr.  Black. 
He  is  a  life-long  Republican,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Virginia  Lodge. 

Richard  v.,  was  born  October  27,  1S31; 
moved  to  Nebraska  about  1860,  and  located 
near  Nebraska  City,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
farming.  He  served  three  years  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fourteenth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  entered  as  a  Sergeant,  and  was 
soon  advanced  to  a  Captain. 

John  Jefferson,  was  born  Oct.  34, 1833, 
and  died  August  22,  ]839. 

Green  V.,  was  born  on  the  3d  day  of  Au- 
gust, 1830.  He  is  a  resident  of  Jackson- 
ville, and  a  successful  dentist.  He  served  a 
short  time  as  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  late  war, 
but  was  discharged  on  account  of  disability. 

.Iames  B.,  is  the  seventh  son  of  his 
father,  and  was  born  Oct.  9,  1839,  in  Scott 
County;  he  attended  the  common  schools 
of  Cass  County,  and  later,  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Academy,  in  Virginia.  At  the 
age  of  19,  he  cothmenced  teaching  school  in 
Cass  County,  and  in  the  fall  of  1861,  he  en- 
listed in  Company  C,  Third  111.  Vol.  Cavalry, 
in  which  he  served  about  two  years.  While 
in  service,  he  was  engaged  in  several  battles, 
among  which  was  Pea  Ridge;  was  with 
Sherman  at  Vicksburg.     He  entered  as  a  pri- 


vate and  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant 
of  his  company.  He  was  compelled  to  resign 
his  commission  in  1863,  on  account  of  ill 
health;  returned  home,  and  resumed  teaching. 
He  served  as  instructor  in  the  State  Institu- 
tion for  the  Blind,  at  Jacksonville,  in  1864, 
'05  and  '60,  and  afterward  became  principal 
in  the  public  schools  of  Jacksonville.  After 
farming  four  years,  he  was  in  1873  elected 
clerk  of  Cass  County,  which  office  he  has  con- 
tinuously held.  Since  July,  1878,  he  has  also 
been  the  cashier  of  the  Centennial  National 
Bank,  of  Virginia.  July  1,  1867,  he  married 
Miss  Eliza  J.  Ewing,  daughter  of  William 
Ewing  (deceased),  of  Jacksonville.  They  have 
one  daughter,  May. 

Maky  J.,  was  born  Dec.  13,  1840.  She 
was  married  in  1857,  to  George  A.  Beard, 
a  prominent  farmer  of  Cass  County.  She 
died  Feb.  26,  1874.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black  are 
members  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  he  of 
the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  K.  of  H.  John,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  was  born  Dec.  21, 
1844,  in  Scott.  He  entered  the  mercantile 
business  in  Virginia  in  1876.  He  married 
Maggie  Blair,  March  15,  1866,  and  they  have 
five  (laughters:  Emma  L.,  CoraE.,  Ida  F.,  Jes- 
sie G.,  and  Maggie  E.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black 
are  both  members  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Ho  is  a  Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  K. 
of  H.  of  Virginia. 

Charles  W.,  was  born  in  Princeton  Pre- 
cinct, Sept.  19,  1850;  is  the  oldest  son  of 
Joseph  F.  Black,  of  whom  an  extended  men- 
tion is  made  in  the  foregoing  sketch  of  the 
Black  family.  He  received  his  education 
at  the  Washington  School  House,  near  Phila- 
delphia, this  county,  except  a  si.x  months 
commercial  course  in  the  Business  College 
in  Jacksonville,  this  State.  Nov.  34,  1870, 
he  married  Miss  Elsie  E.  Buckley,  daugh- 
ter of  Mark  and  Cornelia  Job  Buckley, 
in  Philadelphia  Precinct.  Mark  Buckley  is  a 
native  of  England,  and  his  wife  was  born    at 


VIRGINIA-CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


195 


Sylvan  Grove,  this  county,  Dec.  30,1823,  and 
is  daughter  of  Archibald  and  Jane  (Brierly) 
Job,  of  whom  see  Historical  Sketch  elsewhere 
in  this  volume.  Mr.  Black  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  three  years,  and  in  1873  was  appointed 
Deputy  Clerk  of  Cass  County,  and  has  since 
that  time  filled  the  position  with  such  efficien- 
cy, that  he  has  received  the  nomination  on  the 
Republican  ticket  to  succeed  his  uncle,  .James 
B.  Black,  Clerk  elect.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black 
have  three  children:  Mabel  Ora,  Roy  Lcstie, 
and  Mary  Lora.  Since  18G7  they  have  been 
members  of  the  Christian  Church  of  Virginia, 
and  Mr.  Black  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
and  A.  O.  U.  W. 

HENRY  BEVIS,  Virginia  City,  one  of  the 
respected  and  thrifty  citizens  of  Cass  County, 
is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State,  and  was 
born  near  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  Oct.  23, 1836. 
He  is  the  oldest  son  of  David  and  Achsah 
(Stout)  Bevis.  David  Bevis  was  also  a  native 
of  Ohio,  his  father  Jesse  having  come  to 
Hamilton  County  about  the  year  1800;  Jesse, 
his  father,  was  the  third  son  of  a  family  of 
six  sons  and  si.x  daughters,  and  was  for  about 
forty  years  U.  S.  Postmaster  at  Bevis  Post- 
office,  which  took  its  name  from  the  family. 
Our  subject  received  his  education  at  the 
Farmers'  College,  about  six  miles  north  of 
Cincinnati.  After  leaving  school  he  taught 
one  winter.  April  20,  1854,  he  married  Miss 
Sarah  J.  Stout,  daughter  of  Philemon  Stout, 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Hamilton  County,  O.,  when  a  small  boy, 
and  in  1831  to  Cass  County.  Mr.  Bevis  came 
to  Illinois  in  October,  1857;  he  has  since  that 
time  followed  his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and 
builder,  except  about  five  years,  spent  in  the 
mercantile  business  at  Philadelphia.  He  serv- 
ed as  surveyor  of  Cass  County  one  term  of 
four  years  from  1867.  Mr.  Bevis  is  a  Demo- 
crat. Himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren: Flora,  Albon,  Philemon,  and  Grace. 


LEVI  CONOVER,  deceased.  Among  the 
sturdy  pioneers  who  converted  the  wild 
prairie  into  productive  £arms,  and  built  up 
the  little  commonwealth  of  Cass  County, 
was  the  lamented  Levi  Conover.  His  grand- 
father, Dominions  Conover,  emigrated  from 
Holland  about  1830,  and  settled  in  New 
Jersey.  He  had  five  sons :  William,  John, 
Garrett,  Levi,  and  Peter.  The  least  of 
the  five  brothers  when  of  middle  age, 
weighed  250  pounds,  and  the  largest  295. 
The  fourth  of  the  sons  of  Dorainicus  (Levi) 
was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
and  was  born  in  1760.  He  entered  the  Federal 
Cavalry  service  in  1776,  being  in  his  seven- 
teenth year.  He  served  five  years,  as  did  his 
brother  Garrett.  In  the  year  1785,  being 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  he  married  Catha- 
rine Dye,  and  in  1790  he  and  his  brother  Gar- 
rett, with  their  families,  removed  to  the  State 
of  Kentucky,  and  settled  near  Lexington. 
In  1795  both  brothers  removed  to  Adair  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  and  purchased  farms  near  Columbia. 
Their  brother  Peter  followed  them  from  New 
Jersey  in  1800,  and  settled  near  Lexington, 
their  two  older  brothers,  William  and  John, 
remaining  in  New  Jersey.  In  1801  Levi's 
wife  died,  leaving  him  seven  children.  In 
1802  he  married  Mrs.  Jane  Gelbirth  Turnbow; 
she  had  by  her  former  husband  two  sons, 
John  and  Hugh,  who  were  brought  up  by 
their  uncle,  Hugh  Gelbirth.  They  were  with 
General  Jackson  in  1S12,  at  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans.  Five  children,  two  daughters 
and  three  sons,  were  the  fruits  of  this  second 
marriage:  Peter,  James,  Matilda,  Levi,  and 
Jackson.  Levi  was  born  Jan.  14,  1808;  his 
brother  Peter,  in  the  year  1825,  came  to  Illi- 
nois, and  entered  the  Gilmore  farm,  two  miles 
south  of  Princeton,  then  in  Sangamon,  now 
in  Morgan  County.  In  1827  he  sold  his  first 
purchase,  and  entered  240  acres  just  east  of 
the  Jeff  Crum  farm,  in  this  county,  where  he 
remained   until    1860.      He   then   moved  to 


196 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Mason  County,  this  State,  where  he  still  lives, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-eight  years. 
In  the  year  1833,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
and  his  sister  Matilda,  with  her  husband,  Asa 
B.  Lane,  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  then 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  His  outfit  upon 
leaving  Kentucky  consisted  of  a  good  horse, 
a  fine  mare  and  colt,  and  a  small  amount  of 
money.  After  having  traveled  three  days,  he 
awoke  one  morning  to  find  that  his  mare  and 
colt  had  been  stolen,  and  a  week  was  spent 
by  the  entire  party  in  a  fruitless  search  for 
the  missing  property.  On  reaching  Illinois 
with  one  horse,  his  money  was  all  spent,  and 
he  was  in  debt  to  his  brother  Peter  and  Mr. 
Lane.  Thus,  one  of  Cass  County's  most  suc- 
cessful pioneers  commenced  his  career  with- 
out means,  except  that  most  valuable  capital, 
health,  honesty,  industry,  and  economy.  He 
purchased  another  horse  of  his  brother  Peter, 
for  $35,  paying  for  the  same  by  splitting  rails 
at  fifty  cents  per  hundred.  After  paying 
this  debt  he  continued  rail  splitting  until  he 
had  accumulated  $105  in  silver.  This  he 
loaned  to  a  man  who  moved  to  Iowa,  and  he 
never  collected  a  cent  of  the  debt.  In  the 
spring  of  1834,  he  went  to  Galena  and  work- 
ed in  the  lead  mines  at  Mineral  Point,  until 
fall,  when  he  returned  and  emigrated  to 
Iowa.  There  he  bought  a  claim  for  $75,  and 
divided  it  with  a  friend.  They  returned  to 
Illinois,  purchased  oxen  and  wagons,  and 
then  returned  to  Iowa,  and  spent  the  next 
summer  in  breaking  and  improving  their 
farms.  During  the  spring  of  1835,  he,  Mr. 
Conover,  built  for  himself  a  substantial  hewed 
log  house,  16x18,  a  smoke-house,  and  a  stable. 
Unable  to  obtain  plank,  a  quilt  was  hung 
up  at  the  opening  left  for  a  door,  to  keep  the 
wolves  out.  Finally  the  door  and  floor  were 
made  of  puncheon.  In  November,  1836,  he 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Petefish,  of  Cass 
County,  sister  of  S.  H.  and  Jacob  Pete- 
fish,  and  they   soon  after   proceeded  to  their 


Iowa  home.  They  returned  to  Illinois  in 
August,  1837,  on  a  visit.  Mr.  Conover  re- 
turned to  Iowa  after  a  two  weeks  stay,  leav- 
ing his  wife  to  complete  her  visit.  She  was 
soon  taken  sick  and  died  the  latter  part  of 
that  same  month.  So  imperfect  were  the 
mail  facilities  at  that  time,  that  he  did  not 
learn  of  her  death  until  two  weeks  after  her 
burial.  This  sore  bereavement  unsettled  his 
plans,  and  he  sold  his  claim  of  560  acres  for 
$3,000  in  silver,  with  which  he  returned  to 
Cass  County,  and  loaned  it  to  his  friends, 
Jacob  Epler,  Capt.  Charles  Beggs,  and  J. 
Bradley  Thompson.  In  January,  18-41,  he 
purchased  the  old  homestead  of  the  family, 
from  his  cousin  John,  son  of  Peter  Conover, 
which  was  settled  in  1823.  His  experience 
on  first  settling  in  this  county  was  not  unlike 
that  of  many  of  the  energetic  and  resolute 
class  of  men  who  were  the  pioneers  of  the 
West,  and  to  whom  the  public  are  indebted 
for  the  orderly  and  intelligent  character  of 
the  society  we  now  enjoy.  His  second  mar- 
riage was  to  Miss  Phebe  A.  Rosenberger,  who 
with  three  children,  George,  Charles  W.,  and 
Ellen,  now  survives  him.  Mrs.  Conover's 
father,  .lohn  Rosenberger,  and  her  mother, 
were  both  of  German  parentage,  and  came  to 
Illinois  and  settled  at  Princeton,  in  1836. 
They  raised  a  large  family,  of  which  Phebe 
A.,  was  the  oldest;  George,  the  oldest  living 
son  of  the  Conover  family,  was  born  Sept.  11, 
1846,  at  the  Conover  homestead  near  Prince- 
ton. He  is  the  fourtti  of  the  family,  two 
older  sisters  tiaving  died,  and  one,  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Epler,  still  survives.  He  received  his 
rudimental  schooling  at  Zion  school-house, 
and  afterwards  attended  theWesleyan  Univer- 
sity at  Bloomington,  111.,  and  took  a  commer- 
cial course  at  Bryant  &  Stratton's  Business 
College,  Chicago.  At  twenty-one  years  of 
age  he  commenced  farming,  in  which  busi- 
ness he  remained  from  18^0  to  1876,  when  he 
became  connected  as  a  partner  in   the  bank- 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


197 


ing  firm  of  Petefish,  Skiles  &  Co.,  and  since 
that  time  has  acted  as  assistant  cashier  and 
book-keeper.  Feb.  23,  1871,  he  married  Vir- 
ginia Bone,  a  daughter  of  William  Bone,  of 
Sangamon  County,  later  of  Lincoln,  111.  Mr. 
Conover  was  the  fourth  of  a  family  of  five 
children,  and  was  born  Sept.  11,  1846.  They 
have  two  children,  William  B.  and  Earnest 
B.  Mr.  Conover  is  Secretary  of  and  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Importers  and  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation of  Cass  County,  and  also  a  member  of 
the  Buildintj  Association  of  Virgrinia.  Charles 
W.,  is  the  fifth  youngest  of  the  family,  and 
was  born  April  1,  1849,  on  the  homestead;  he 
was  educated  and  brought  up  a  farmer,  and 
has  steadily  adhered  to  his  calling.  He 
owns  and  lives  on  the  Conover  homestead, 
which  he  has  successfully  managed  since  it 
came  into  his  possession.  He  married  Miss 
Louise  Dever,  April  1, 1875;  she  is  a  daughter 
of  John  Dever  (deceased),  a  farmer  and  na- 
tive of  Ohio.  They  have  three  children: 
Millie,  Dasie  L.,  and  an  infant  not  named. 
Mr.  Conover  is  a  thrifty  farmer,'*a  Democrat, 
and  much  respected  in  the  community. 

WILLIAM  CAMPBELL,  one  of  the  most 
enterprising,  energetic  and  prosperous  pio- 
neers of  Cass  County,  was  born  in  Ireland, 
April  15,  1818.  His  father,  Archibald,  had 
four  daughters  and  three  sons.  Our  subject 
emigrated  to  America  and  to  Cass  County  in 
the  spring  of  1840.  His  sister  Mary  preceded 
him,  and  another  sister,  Catharine,  came  after- 
ward. He  located  upon  his  present  home- 
stead, and  commenced  laying  the  foundation 
of  a  success,  seldom  enjoyed  by  any  who  com- 
menced in  so  humble  a  manner.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell brought  with  him  only  a  small  amount  of 
money,  all  of  which  was  expended  in  starting 
him  on  his  first  piece  of  land.  He  is  now 
owner  of  about  nineteen  hundred  acres  of 
Cass  County  soil;  also  holds  a  considerable 
amount  of  Virginia  City  property,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  well  known  banking  firm  of 


Petefish,  Skiles  &  Company.  October  10, 1845, 
he  married  Miss  Mary  Studbrank,  a  native 
of  Germany.  Her  father,  Fredric  Studbrank, 
emigrated  from  Germany  when  she  was 
small,  and  located  in  Cass  County.  Mrs. 
Campbell  died  May  33,  1872,  in  the  forty- 
seventh  year  of  her  age,  leaving  three  sons 
and  one  daughter,  Henry  J.,  Alfred,  Edwin, 
and  Emma  J.  Ann  L.,  William  E.,  Charles, 
and  an  infant,  are  deceased.  Mr.  Campbell 
has  held  the  office  of  County  Commissioner 
several  years,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  Henry  J.  was  born  Nov. 
25,  1850.  He  received  his  schooling  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  entered  farming  in  1875.  March  1, 
1877,  he  married  Miss  Maggie  Taylor,  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Jenette  (Cunningham)  Taylor, 
of  the  Sangamon  Bottom,  Cass  County,  a 
sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  Mrs.  Campbell  is  the  third  of  a 
family  of  seven  daughters  and  five  sons, 
and  was  born  Dec.  2,  1852.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Campbell  have  one  son,  William  V.  Mr. 
Campbell  owns  a  farm  of  200  acres;  being 
a  practical  farmer,  seldom  fails  of  a  profitable 
year's  business. 

J.  B.  CRAFT,  proprietor  Virginia  House, 
is  a  native  of  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  and  was 
born  at  Brownsville,  July  30,  183S.  His  fa- 
ther, William  B.  Craft,  was  a  manufacturer  of 
grain-cleaning  machines,  and  was  also  a 
native  of  the  Key-stone  State.  He  married 
Evaline  White,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They 
raised  a  family  of  seven  children,  and  our 
subject  was  their  second  child.  J.  B.  received 
his  schooling  in  Brownsville,  and  there  learned 
the  carriage  maker's  trade,  which  he  followed 
about  eight  years.  He  came  to  Cass  County  in 
1864.  In  1871  he  took  charge  of  his  present  ho- 
tel, and  from  that  time  until  the  present,  except 
one  j'ear  (1874)  spent  in  the  grocery  trade,  has 
been  its  proprietor.  William  B.,  his  father, 
died  in  the  year  1855,  and  his  mother  is  still 
living,  a  resident  of  Fulton  County.    Our  sub- 


198 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


ject  was  married  Oct.  9,  1862,  to  Miss  Phoebe 
L.  Dunaway,  daughter  of  James  Dunaway,  a 
farmer  of  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  where  she  was 
born  March  5, 1845.  They  have  six  children, 
four  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz.:  Annie  E.,  W. 
Earnest,  Edward,  Thomas,  Bertha  and  George. 
Mr.  Craft  has  been  from  time  to  time  identi- 
fied with  the  public  interests  and  growth  of 
Virginia,  aside  from  providing  the  city 
with  an  all  important  adjunct,  "  a  first-class 
hotel;"  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  City 
Council  about  six  years.  He  has  been  for 
several  years  a  member  of  the  School  Board, 
Police  Magistrate,  and  is  at  present  the  City 
Treasurer,  which  position  he  has  filled  about 
eight  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craft  are  both 
members  of  the  Christian  church. 

DR.  S.  M.  COLLADAY,  for  several  years 
a  successful  practicing  physician  of  Virginia, 
is  a  native  of  the  city  of  New  York;  was 
born  Aug.  27,  18i2.  His  father,  Charles  H. 
Colladaj-,  was  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
and  was  by  occupation  a  last  manufacturer, 
and  carried  on  business  in  New  York  for 
about  twenty-one  years.  He  was  from  Ger- 
man and  French  Huguenot  descent;  married 
Miss  Sarah  Jane  Lutes,  a  native  of  Orange 
County,  N.Y.,  who  was  of  German  and  of  Pu- 
ritan stock.  He  died  in  1856;  whereupon, 
our  subject  came  west  to  Fulton  County,  111. 
In  1861,  he  entered  the  army,  enlisting  in  the 
5th  Michigan  Vol.  Infty.,  from  Macomb 
County.  His  regiment  was  assigned  to  Gen. 
Kearney's  division  of  the  3d  corps,  in  which 
division  he  served  until  his  discharge  on  ac- 
count of  disability,  in  November,  1862.  Dr. 
Colladay  studied  medicine  in  Fulton  County, 
111.,  and  afterward  entered  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  Michigan  State  University, 
and  graduated  from  that  institution  in  the 
class  of  187-3.  He  spent  two  years  practic- 
ing his  profession,  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and 
in  1875  came  to  Virginia  and  entered  the 
drug  bnsiness  with  Mr.  J.  W.  Wilkinson,  un- 


der the  firm  name  of  Colladay  &  Wilkinson. 
In  1819,  Mr.  C.  B.  Gatton  purchased  Mr. 
Wilkinson's  interest,  and  the  firm  of  Colladay 
&  Gatton  continued  the  business  until  Jan- 
uary, 1881,  when  Dr.  Colladay  withdrew,  to 
devote  his  time  to  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. October,  1874,  he  married  Miss  Cor- 
nelia H.  Wilkinson,  of  Vermont,  Fulton 
County,  111.  Mrs.  Colladay  is  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  from  childhood  has  lived 
in  Fulton  county.  They  have  two  sons, 
Charles  and  Edward.  Mrs.  Charles  Colladay, 
the  doctor's  mother,  is  still  living  at  Lincoln, 
Neb.  Of  her  six  children,  three  are  still  liv- 
ing: our  subject;  Frank,  a  hardware  mer- 
chant, of  Waterloo,  Iowa;  and  Louise,  now 
Mrs.  Dr.  E.  P.  Hemer,  of  Lincoln. 

DAVID  M.  CRUM;  farmer,  P.  O.  Virginia; 
was  born  in  Arenzville  Precinct,  Dec.  25, 
1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Christian  Crura.  He  re- 
ceived a  good  education,  having  attended  the 
Wesleyan  University,  at Bloomington,  Ills.,  for 
some  time,  and  engaged  in  farming,  which  oc- 
cupation he  still  pursues.  In  Virginia,  this 
county,  Nov.  24,  1875,  he  married  Henrietta 
B.  Payne,  a  native  of  Missouri,  born  Sept.  21, 
1856,  daughter  of  W.  B.  and  Elizabeth  Payne 
of  Virginia,  this  county;  by  this  union  they 
have  been  blessed  with  three  children:  Bessie 
L.,  Vida  v.,  and  Mabel  A.  Mr.  Crum  is  a 
member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  and  is  Secretary 
of  Lodge  No.  68,  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Virginia,  this 
county;  he  is  a  Democrat. 

FINIS  E.  DOWNING,  Circuit  Clerk  of 
Cass  County;  is  a  native  of  the  city  of  Virginia, 
Cass  Co.,  and  was  born  Aug.  24,  1846.  His 
father,  Nathan  H.  Downing,  was  a  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  Clergyman,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  a  son  of  John  Downing,  who  was  a 
native  of  Bedford  County,  Va.,  and  married 
Susannah  Hall,  a  native  of  same  place.  John 
Downing  had  a  family  of  twelve  children, 
nine  of  whom  lived  to  maturity.  He  removed 
from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  with  his  parents 


VIRGIXIA— CITY  AXD  PEECI>'CT. 


199 


in  early  life,  and  from  thence  to  Marion  Coun- 
ty, Mo.,  in  1837,  and  pursued  farming 
until  his  death,  in  June,  1833.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  March  3,  1861.  Nathan  H. 
Downing  came  to  Cass  County  in  1843.  He 
married  Miss  Eliza  Head,  a  native  of  Howard 
County,  Mo.,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Head, 
a  farmer  and  surveyor.  He  died  in  Virginia, 
Nov.  30,  1853.  They  had  five  children,  two 
sons  and  three  daughters,  viz.:  John  C, 
Finis  E.,  Lucy  J.,  now  Mrs.  Green  Middle- 
ton,  of  York  County,  Neb.  John  C,  who 
died  in  a  hospital  at  Memphis,  Miss.,  April  10, 
1863.  He  enlisted  in  the  1  l-tth  111.  Vol.  Inf  ty. 
August  13,  1863,  a  historical  sketch  of  which 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  book.  Finis  mar- 
ried Jan.  15,  1868,  to  Miss  Sue  H.  Payne, 
daughter  of  William  B.  Payne,  of  Virginia. 
They  have  one  son,  Harry.  Mr.  Downing  was 
elected  to  the  oflSce  of  Circuit  Clerk  of  Cass 
Countj-  in  November,  1880.  He  first  entered 
business  as  clerk  for  William  B.  Payne,  and 
continued  with  him  about  five  years,  and 
after  the  first  year  was  his  partner.  He  re- 
moved to  Missouri  in  1869,  and  there  remained 
until  1875,  and  then  returned  to  Virginia  and 
clerked  for  Mr.  Payne  until  his  election.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  A.  O.  U.  W., 
and  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Virginia. 

JOHN  M.  DIRREEN,  Deputy  Sheriff  of 
Cass  County,  Virginia,  is  a  native  of  Cass 
County,  and  was  born  in  Virginia,  July  39, 
ISiO.  His  father,  Edward,  was  a  farmer,  a 
native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  Cass  County  in 
April,  1837.  His  mother  was  formerly  Miss 
Jane  Himphey,  and  also  a  native  of  the 
Emerald  Isle;  came  to  Cass  County  in  1835, 
and  is  still  living.  She  has  nine  children, 
three  of  whom  are  deceased;  the  remaining  six 
are  still  living,  viz.:  Catharine,  Eliza,  Alice, 
Michael,  Edward,  and  our  subject,  who  was 
brought  up  a  farmer,  and  followed  that  busi- 
ness until  February,  1878.  In  1871,  he  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Nancy  Cunningham,  a  native  of 


Cass  County.  She  died  February  33,  1878, 
leaving  one  daughter,  Josephine.  3*Ir.  Dir- 
reen  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  since 
Aug.  33,  1878,  has  held  his  present  respon- 
sible position,  which  he  has  thus  far  filled 
with  satisfaction  to  the  people  of  his  county. 
ELI  M.  DALE,  one  of  the  thrifty  farmers 
of  Cass  County,  was  born  at  Bedford,  Law- 
rence County,  Ind.,  Jan.  1,  1844,  and  is  a  son 
of  Eli  and  Elizabeth  (Waugh)  Dale.  The 
former  a  native  of  Cumberland  County,  Pa., 
born  Feb.  3,  1816,  and  the  latter  1831,  in 
North  Carolina.  Mrs.  Dale  died,  leaving  four 
sons  and  two  daughters,  namely:  Samuel,  a 
lawyer  for  five  years  in  Beardstown,  now  in 
Colorado;  Eli  M.,  our  subject,  Emily  M.,  Wil- 
liam W.,  Mary  A.,  George  A.  Eli  Dale's 
grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  McCracken, 
was  an  Irishman;  he  came  to  America  in  time 
to  serve  eight  years  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  fought  on  the  American  side.  His  grand- 
father on  his  father's  side  (Dale)  was  a  Ger- 
man. Eli  M.,  our  subject,  received  his 
schooling  in  his  native  county;  came  to  Cass 
County  in  1865,  and  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  brick,  and  in  building,  in  company  with 
his  father,  Eli,  and  his  brother,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Eli  Dale  &  Sons.  The  firm 
continued  in  this  business  successfully  until 
1876,  and  since  that  time  he  has  been  farming 
in  Virginia  Precinct.  Our  subject  entered 
the  army  for  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion 
in  1863,  from  Indiana,  in  the  Sixty-seventh 
Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  regiment  he 
served  about  nine  months,  as  a  private,  and 
was  discharged  on  account  of  disability.  Up- 
on sufiSciently  recovering,  he  again  entered 
the  army  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
Sixth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  be 
served  one  hundred  days,  the  full  time  for 
which  he  enlisted,  and  received  his  discharge, 
and  a  third  time  enlisted;  this  time  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  served  until  the  war  closed.     This  record 


200 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


speaks 'for  itself,  and  shows  that  the  patriotic 
zeal  of  our  subject  must  have  been  inherited, 
or  he  would,  on  general  principles,  have  got 
enough  of  the  war  on  first  trial,  after  having 
lost  his  health.     Durins  his  term  of   service 

o 

he  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  of 
his  company,  and  participated  in  several  se- 
vere engagements.  Ho  was  discharged  in 
18G5,  and  came  to  Illinois,  as  before  men- 
tioned. Dec.  20,  1860,  he  married  Miss  Lida 
E.  Tureman,  daughter  of  George  and  Eliza- 
beth (Glover)  Tureman,  who  was  born  Dec. 
21,  1851.  Mr.  Tureman  is  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  and  Mrs.  Tureman  of  Morgan  Coun- 
ty. They  have  two  children:  Stella  M.  and 
Cora  T. 

WILLIAM  DOWDALL,  a  thrifty  farmer 
of  Cass  County,  Virginia  precinct,  came  to 
Cass  County  in  1851,  via  New  Orleans,  hav- 
ing landed  there  direct  from  Ireland,  where 
he  was  born,  Sept.  10,  1830  ;  his  native  home 
was  within  sixteen  miles  of  the  renowned 
city  of  Belfast,  the  pride  of  the  Emerald 
Isle.  His  father,  Hugh  Dowdall,  was  a 
farmer,  brought  up  his  sons  as  farmers,  and 
our  subject  shows,  in  his  methods  of  direct- 
ing his  farm,  the  thoroughness  that  charac- 
terized his  father's  labors.  Mr.  Dovs'dall  lo- 
cated on  his  present  place  of  176  acres,  soon 
after  his  arrival  in  Cass  County,  and  in  Dec. 
18,  1853,  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Havern, 
also  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  came  to  Amer- 
ica on  the  same  ship  with  Mr.  Dowdall.  Thev 
have  four  children:  Hugh  H.,  William  J., 
S  imuel  W.  and  Mary  Jane.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dowdall  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  Virginia,  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Republican  party. 

THE  EPLER  FAMILY  is  of  German  ori- 
gin. Abeam  Eplee,  was  born  in  Lancaster 
(now  Dauphin)  County,  Penn.,  Feb.  28,  1709. 
He  was  married  in  1791,  to  Miss  Anna  Old- 
weiler.  She  was  born  Oct.  26,  1768.  In  1798 
he  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  n^ar 


the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  from  whence  he  removed 
across  the  Ohio  river,  into  what  is  now  Clarke 
County,  Ind.  He  was  a  man  of  commend- 
able enterprise  and  industry,  a  miller,  dis- 
tiller and  farmer,  and  disposed  of  the  prod- 
ucts of  his  varied  business  in  southern  mar- 
kets, principally  New  Orleans,  transportation 
being  by  flat  boats,  steamboats  not  yet  hav- 
ing been  introduced  on  Western  waters.  In 
1832,  Abram  Epler  removed  to  Illinois, 
settling  on  Indian  Creek,  in  Morgan 
County,  Ills.,  on  section  two,  township  six- 
teen north,  range  nine  west,  of  the  third 
principal  meridian,  where  he  died  Jan.  22, 
1837.  Abram  Epler  was  the  father  of  a 
family  of  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  who 
widely  scattered,  settling  in  various  parts  of 
the  West.  John,  Jacob,  David  and  Isaac  pre- 
ceded him  to  Illinois,  and  settled  on  farms  now 
embraced  within  the  limits  of  Cass  County. 
George,  the  youngest  son,  remaining  with 
his  parents,  attending  them  in  their  removal 
to  Illinois,  resided  at  the  old  homestead  un- 
til his  removal  to  Sangamon  County,  near 
Farmingdale,  where  he  died  Sept.  5,  1867. 
John  and  David  are  deceased,  Jacob  resides 
at  Pleasant  Plains,  Sangamon  County,  111., 
which  prosperous  village  he  settled  and 
founded  about  the  year  1848.  Isaac  resides 
in  Otoe  County,  Neb.,  near  Nebraska  City. 
The  above  named,  John,  Jacob,  David,  Isaac 
and  George,  were  enterprising  and  eminently 
successful  farmers,  and  were  among  the  lead- 
ers of  that  noble  class  of  men,  who  by  their 
industry,  morality  and  exemplary  citizenship, 
laid  the  foundations  of  our  social  and  civil  in- 
stitutions, with  credit  to  themselves,  and 
with  honor  to  their  country.  Anna,  the 
mother  of  this  family,  died  May  3,  1817. 

John  Epler,  the  oldest  son  of  Abram,  was 
born  in  Lancaster  County,  Penn.,  April  15, 
1795,  being  about  four  years  of  age  when 
his  parents  settled  in  Clark  County,  Ind.,  and 
being  the  oldest  son,  was  ahvays  his  father's 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


201 


right  hand  business  man.  Early  in  youth  he 
assumed  the  more  weighty  responsibilities  of 
his  father's  heavy  river  transportation,  and 
often  made  long  and  profitable  trips  down 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  with  the 
cargoes  of  the  product  of  his  father's  business. 
Closing  out,  perhaps,  at  New  Orleans,  he 
would  purchase  a  saddle  horse,  and  return 
home  across  the  country.  He  married  Miss 
Sarah  Beggs,  a  daughter  of  Captain  Charles 
Beggs,  a  pioneer  of  1829,  of  Morgan  County. 
She  was  born  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  April 
38,  1800.  John  Eplor  came  to  Cass  County, 
located  at  Little  Indian,  in  1831,  and  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Cass 
County,  May  26,  1876,  was  one  of  the  most 
active  citizens,  and  enterprising  farmers  of 
that  county.  He  was  no  scholar,  yet  his  read- 
ing took  a  wide  range,  and  but  few  in  busy 
life  possessed  the  historical  information 
which  he  did.  In  Biblical,  Ancient  and 
Modern  History  he  was  considered  an  author- 
ity by  all  who  interested  themselves  in  such 
studies.  He  raised  a  family  of  twelve  chil- 
dren: Charles  B.,  who  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Lurton,  daughter  of  Dr.  Lurton,  of  Jackson- 
ville, 111.;  died  1855,  leaving  no  offspring. 
Abram,  the  second,  died  Aug.  7,  1847,  un- 
married. Cyrus  is  a  resident  of  .lacksonville, 
and  Judge  of  the  judicial  district,  of  which 
Morgan  County  is  a  part.  Mary,  and  the 
fourth  child,  married  Richard  Barnett,  of 
Sangamon  County.  She  died  in  1859.  Sarah 
is  now  Mrs.  D.  W.  Fairbank,  a  merchant  of 
Jacksonville;  Elizabeth  the  sixth  child,  married 
H.  H.  Hall,  now  of  Jacksonville.  She  died  at 
Faribault,  Minn.,  in  1869,  leaving  five  children- 
John  M.,  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of 
Cass  County,  was  in  early  life  one  of  the 
main  stays  of  his  father's  family.  He  attend- 
ed the  common  schools  of  the  county,  and  at 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  purchased  a  portion 
of  the  land  now  comprising  his  estate  of  200 
acres.     He  has  for  years  past  devoted  much 


time  to  the  breeding  and  raising  of  short-horn 
cattle,  of  which  he  has  a  fine  herd.  Has  been 
twice  chosen  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of 
Agriculture,  and  has  for  twenty  years  been 
connected  with  Cass  County  Agricultural 
Society,  and  for  five  years  a  presiding  officer 
of  the  organization.  March  29,  1855,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Nancy  A.,  daughter  of  Hon.  David 
and  ( Eachael  R.  Johnson  )  Epler.  She  was 
born  Oct.  27,  1833,  and  is  mother  of  seven 
children,  viz.:  Edward  E.,  Laura,  Marv  A., 
John  W.,  Frankie,  Charles  and  Frank,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Epler  is  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  the  Knights  of  Honor  of 
Virginia,  and  is  identified  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 

William,  the  eighth  of  the  family,  now  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Virginia,  is  a  grain  deal- 
er and  shipper.  At  the  age  of  twenty-eight 
was  a  member  of  the  first  Constitutional 
Convention  of  the  State  of  Nevada,  held  at 
Carson  City  in  1863,  in  which  State  he  was  for 
eight  years  engaged  as  Civil  Engineer  and 
Deputy  U.  S.  Land  and  Mineral  Surveyor 
and  during  a  part  of  that  time  connected  with 
the  engineering  department  of  the  Central 
Pacific  Railroad  Company,  of  California.  In 
1869,  he  returned  to  Cass  County  and  settled 
on  his  farm  near  Little  Indian.  In  187-1:,  was 
elected  Sheriff  of  Cass  County,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  He  married  Miss  Jennie  Wood- 
man of  Paw  Paw,  Van  Buren  Co.,  Mich.  The 
ceremony  took  place  April  12,  1859,  at  Du- 
luth,  Minn.,  and  was  the  first  marriage  of 
white  persons  pronounced  in  that  city.  Mrs. 
Epler  died  at  Star  City,  Humboldt  Co.,  Nev- 
ada, Oct.  2,  1863,  leaving  one  daughter, 
Miss  Nellie  W.  Mr.  Epler  again  married. 
Miss  Ellen  Conover  July  5,  1870.  Ellen  is 
daughter  of  Levi  Conover  ( of  whom  see 
sketch  elsewhere  in  this  volume  ),  and  they 
have  two  children,  Florence  and  Myron. 

David  was  the  ninth  child  of  the  family, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 


202 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Myrox,  the  tenth  child,  lived  to  acquire  an 
excellent  education,  and  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  law,  and  located  in  Chicago. 
Hard  study  had  shattered  his  constitution, 
and  in  spite  of  much  travel  and  most  stren- 
uous efforts  to  regain  his  healtli,  he  died  at 
Helena  City,  Montana,  Se|)t.  5,  1866. 

Makgaeet  E.  received  a  Seminary  education 
at  Monticello,  111.;  married  John  W.  Price,  a 
prominent  druggist  of  Princeton,  Bureau  Co., 
III. 

Albert,  the  youngest  of  the  family  and  the 
present  Mayor  of  Virginia,  was  born  Jan. 
22,  1845  at  the  Epler  homestead.  After  re- 
ceiving his  rudimental  schooling  at  home,  he 
took  a  course  of  study  at  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, at  Bloomington,  finishing  in  1864:.  He 
then  engaged  in  farming  until  1871,  when  he 
entered  the  livery  business  for  two  years. 
Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
sale  of  agricultural  implements  and  farm 
hardware,  and  dealing  in  grain.  In  1880-81, 
he  served  as  alderman  of  his  ward,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1881  was  elected  to  the  city  Mayorship. 
He  married  Miss  Martha  J.  Vance,  daughter 
of  Samuel  S.  Vance  (deceased),  who  was  a 
prominent  farmer  and  stock  man  of  Cass 
County.  Mrs.  Epler  was  born  in  Morgan 
County,  Aug.  9,  1845.  Thev  have  seven 
children,  viz.:  Nellie,  Edgar,  Lizzie,  Ada  L., 
Frederick,  Jessie,  and  Ralph,  of  whom  Fred- 
erick is  deceased. 

.  JACOB  A.  EPLER,  farmer;  P.  O.  Virginia 
City;  for  many  years  one  of  the  thrifty  agri- 
culturists of  his  county;  is  a  son  of  David 
Epler,  who  was  the  son  of  Abraham,  of  whom 
we  find  more  particular  mention  in  a  sketch 
of  the  Epler  family,  elsewhere  in  this  work. 
David  Epler  was  the  second  son  of  his  father, 
a  successful  teamster,  and  later,  a  farmer  of 
the  early-day  type.  He  came  to  Cass  County 
a  short  time  previous  to  the  deep  snow  of 
1830,  located  in  North  Prairie,  on  Section  35, 
Tp.  17,  Range  11,  where  he  improved  a  farm 


of  about  640  acres.  He  married  Mis-n  Rachel 
R.  Johnson,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  a  native 
of  that  State.  They  raised  a  family  of  eight 
children,  viz.:  Joseph  A.,  John  T.  (deceased), 
Nancy  A.,  now  Mrs.  John  Milton  Epler  (see 
sketch),  Mary  A.,  James  M.,  an  able  law- 
yer of  Jacksonville,  William  F.,  Assistant 
Cashier  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Jack- 
sonville, Jacob  A,  and  Rachel  L.,  now  Mrs. 
John  McHenry,  a  farmer  of  Cass  County  and 
a  resident  of  Virginia.  Jacob  A.,  our  sub- 
ject, spent  his  latter  school-days  in  the  Illi- 
nois College  at  Jacksonville,  and  from  that 
time  has  been  a  successful  farmer.  He  lives 
in  Virginia,  and  has  for  several  years  Ijeen 
connected  with  the  banking  interests  of  his 
town.  Nov.  13,  1861,  he  married  Miss  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Oswell  Thompson,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Cass 
County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Epler  have  three 
children:  Fannie  M.,  Nancy  J.,  and  Albert  E. 
J.  N.  GRIDLEY,  attorney,  of  Virginia 
City,  and  one  of  the  most  successful  in  the 
prcfession  in  Cass  County,  is  a  native  of 
Manchester,  N.  H.  His  father,  John  J. 
Gridley,  was  for  many  years  a  Methodist 
preacher,  and  preached  throughout  the  States 
of  New  York,  Michigan,  and  Northern  Illinois. 
He  is  of  English  descent,  and  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Mitchell,  a  native  of  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  and  is  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry. 
He  now  resides  at  Greenville,  Mercer  County, 
Penn.;  Mrs.  G.  died  in  August,  1865.  James 
N.,  our  subject,  is  the  oldest  of  the  family, 
and  was  born  June  15,  1842.  He  has  two 
sisters  younger,  Miss  Kate,  and  Elizabeth,  who 
is  now  Mrs.  William  Bennett,  at  Beardstown. 
The  youngest  of  the  family  was  Albert,  a 
farmer  and  teacher  of  Cass  County.  He 
went  to  Minnesota  to  recover  his  lost  health, 
and  there  died  Aug.  18,  1874.  Our  sub- 
ject, in  the  year  1861,  entered  the  Michigan 
State  Agricultural  College  at  Lansing,  as  a 
Freshman.     He  remained  there  about  seven 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


203 


months,  and  then  went  to  Ypsllanti,  same 
State,  where  he  spent  two  years  in  a  Seminary, 
under  Prof.  Estabrook.  In  18C3,  Mr.  Grid- 
ley  came  to  Oregon  Precinct,  Cass  Co.,  and 
began  farming.  He  taught  during  the 
winter  season  in  the  puljlic  schools  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  devoted  a  portion  of  his  time  to 
the  study  of  law,  and  in  August,  1868,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  State.  Since  then 
his  time  has  been  given  mostly  to  the  j)ractico 
of  his  profession.  He  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  law  alone,  and  in  1871  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  I.  J.  Ketcham,  of  .lackson- 
ville,  wiiich  arrangement  still  exists.  Since 
its  organization,  the  firm  has  done  a  profitable 
business,  their  practice  being  principally  in 
criminal,  chancery  and  real  estate.  Further 
mention  of  the  firm  and  of  Mr.  Gridley's  ab- 
stract business,  will  be  found  elsewhere  in 
this  volume.     Mr.    Gridley    married    Oct.  11, 

1871,  Miss  Frances  A.  Hill,  daughter  of  Ebe- 
nezer  Hill  (deceased),  and  Maiy  B  irden  Hill 
(also  deceased).  Mr.  Hill  was  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  Mrs.  H.  a  native  of  Connecti- 
cut. Mr.  and  Mis.  Gridley  have  lour  chil- 
dren: Charles,  Nellie,  Burton,  and  Harry.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Gridley  is  a  Democrat;  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  Virginia 
Lodge. 

MORRISON  GRAVES,  one  of  the  oldest 
natives  of  Cass  County,  and  for  many  years  a 
business  man  of  Virginia,  was  born  in  Monroe 
Precinct,  Aug.  39,  1835.  His  father,  Richard, 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  the  year  IS'^8;  loeTated  in  the  above 
named  precinct,  on  the  fai  m  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  James  M.  Graves,  one  of  his  sons.  He 
married  Miss  Nancy  Martin,  also  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  they  raised  a  family  of  three 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Our  subject  received 
his  schooling  entirely  in  Cass  County,  and 
made  farming  his  occupation  up  to  the  year 

1872,  when  he  came  to  Virginia,  and  entered 
the    livery  business  with   A.  G.  Epler,  under 


the  firm  name  of  Graves  &  Epler.  Mr.  Graves, 
this  same  year,  18(io,  also  engaged  in  buying 
and  shipping  stock  and  since  that  time 
has  followed  the  business.  The  firm  of  Graves 
&  Epler  continued  until  about  1876,  and  in 
1878,  Mr.  Reuben  Lancaster  bought  one-half 
interest  in  the  stock,  and  the  present  firm  of 
Gr^ives  &  Lancaster  has  continued  up  to  the 
present  time.  Mr.  Graves  was  married,  Nov. 
]'J,  18.57,  to  Miss  Julia  C.  Nail,  daughter  of 
Charles  Nail,  then  a  farmer  of  Cass  County, 
now  in  Macon  County,  Mo.  Mr.  Nail  is  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illi- 
nois about  1855.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graves  have 
three  children:  Willis  S.,  Appeline  and  Nellie 
May.  They  are  both  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  and  Mr.  Graves  is  a  Republican, 
a  member  of  tlie  Knights  of  Honor,  A.  O. 
U.  W.,  and  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  Virginia  Lodo-e. 
JOHN  GORE,  for  nine  years  a  resident  of 
Virginia,  is  a  native  of  Taylorsvill^,  Kv.,  and 
was  born  Jan.  14,  18M.  His  father,  R'ctor 
Gore,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  a  native  of 
the  same  State,  and  was  born  in  the  year 
1809.  He  married  Miss  Amanda,  daughter  of 
David  anil  Susan  (Willet)  Gratf,  also  natives 
of  Kentucky.  Mrs.  Gore  died  in  the  year 
1834,  having  borne  three  children,  viz.:  Josh- 
ua, now  a  farmer  of  Menard  County,  this 
State,  Evaline,  who  died  when  small,  and 
our  subject,  the  youngest.  Mr.  Gore  sur- 
vived until  1859.  John,  being  an  infant  when 
his  mother  died,  was  consigned  to  the  care 
and  protection  of  his  grandparents,  the  Graffs, 
and  they,  in  that  same  year  (1834),  came  to 
Illinois,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Morgan 
county.  He  remained  with  them  until  he 
had  reached  years  of  discretion,  and  was  able 
to  care  for  himself.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  their  neighborhood,  and  later, 
the  Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville;  graduated 
from  that  institution  in  1854,  and  received  the 
degree  of  B.  S.  He  commenced  teaching 
school  at  sixteen   years  of  age,  and   followed 


204 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


it,  as  a  profession,  for  about  twenty -five  years, 
in  the  counties  of  Morgan,  Adams,  and  Cass. 
As  an  instructor  he  has  been  successful,  to  the 
extent  of  having  acquired  some  means,  which 
he  has  mostly  invested  in  Cass  County  farm- 
ing land,  and  was  called  by  the  people  to  serve 
as  the  Superintendent  of  the  Public  Schools  of 
Cass  county  in  1872,  for  four  years,  or  one 
term.  March  3^d,  1859,  he  married  Miss 
Mattie  Easum,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mar- 
garet (Swope)  Easum,  he  of  Maryland,  she  of 
Kentucky.  They  came  to  Illinois  in  1854,  and 
located  on  a  farm  in  Adams  county;  raised  a 
family  of  ten  children,  of  whom  Mrs.  Gore 
was  the  second  born.  Mr.  Easum  died  Aug. 
21,  1871,  and  Mrs.  Easum  Jan.  8,  1865.  Mr. 
Gore  has  recently  become  proprietor  of  the 
City  Hotel,  which  he  conducts  with  the  same 
degree  of  success  that  has  thus  far  character- 
ized his  life.  He  and  Mrs.  Gore  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  Mr. 
Gore  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Virginia 
Lodge. 

Z.  W.  GATTON,  banker;  Virginia  City. 
Among  those  of  the  early  and  sturdy  pioneers 
of  Cass  County,  was  Thomas  Gatton,  a  native 
of  the  State  of  Maryland,  and  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  brief  sketch.  He  lived  in  Maryland 
until  January,  1779,  when  he  emigrated  to 
Kentucky,  settled  in  Allen  County,  and  en- 
gaged in  merchandising.  There  he  remained 
until  he  came  to  Illinois  in  1824,  and  located 
about  one  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  where 
Little  Indian  Station  is  now  located.  At 
this  point  he  opened  the  first  store  in  what 
was  then  Morgan  County,  but  now  Cass. 
Thomas  Gatton  raised  a  family  of  six  sons 
and  four  daughters.  All  but  one,  the  young- 
est, were  born  in  Kentucky.  Zachariah  W. 
was  the  fourth  son,  and  was  born  Nov.  13, 
1812,  being  about  twelve  years  of  age  when 
they  came  to  Morgan  County.  It  is  well- 
known  what  the  school  advantages  of  those 
days  were,  and  the  young  Gattons  shared  the 


common  lot  of  other  young  pioneers,  studied 
such  books  as  were  within  their  reach,  and 
from  stern  experience  learned  the  common 
every-day  lessons  not  found  in  books,  of  how 
to  earn  a  living,  and  get  a  start  in  the  world. 
Our  subject  has,  from  the  time  of  his  advent 
into  Illinois,  been  closely  identified  with  the 
agricultural  interests  of  his  county.  In  1847 
he  married  Miss  Sarah  C,  daughter  of  Arthur 
Saint  Claire  Miller,  a  speculator,  of  Covington, 
Ky.,  and  they  have  had  six  children,  all  born 
in  Virginia  Precinct,  of  whom  four  are  now 
living:  Emma  K.,  Kate  A.,  Charles  B.,  and 
William  R.  Charles  B.,  the  second  of  the 
family,  is  a  resident  merchant  of  Virginia; 
was  born  April  14, 1850.  After  attending  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  town,  he  entered 
the  grocery  business,  being  at  that  time  nine- 
teen years  of  age.  He  continued  in  that 
business  until  1879,  and  then  entered  the 
drug  and  hardware  business,  in  which  he  is 
still  successl'ully  employed.  He  married 
Nov.  13,  1879,  Miss  Mary  Kemper,  daughter 
of  Thomas  J.  Kemper,  now  of  Springfield; 
and  they  have  one  daughter,  Floy,  and  a  son, 
Roscoe  B. 

CHARLES  M.  HUBBARD,  physician,  Vir- 
ginia City.  Doctor  Charles  M.  Hubbard,  one 
of  the  most  successful  physicians  of  Cass  Coun- 
ty, was  born  July  25,  1848,  at  Lempster,  New 
Hampshire.  His  father,  George  N.  Hubbard, 
a  native  of  Vermont,  and  for  more  than  thirty 
years  a  merchant  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  came 
West,  located  in  Chicago,  and  engaged  in  the 
tin  ware  and  stove  business,  until  he  retired 
in  1855.  He  died  from  the  efi^ects  of  a  stroke 
of  lightning,  in  Menard  County,  111.,  in  March, 
1871.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Vance,  who 
became  the  mother  of  five  sons  and  one 
dauarhter.  Mrs.  Hubbard  survives  her 
husband  and  resides  with  one  of  her  sons, 
Thomas,  in  Chicago,  at  the  age  of  fifty-four 
years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  old- 
est of  the  family.     He  received  his  rudiment- 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


205 


al  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Chi- 
cago, and  later,  attended  in  Jacksonville,  111., 
and  Springfield,  and  graduated  from  the  high 
school  of  the  latter  place.  At  Terre  Haute, 
Ind.,  he  gained  a  knowledge  of  dentistry,  and 
in  1871  came  to  Virginia  and  opened  a  dental 
office.  He  had  during  18G9  and  1870  read 
medicine  with  Dr.  J.  B.  Stevenson,  of  Spring- 
field, and  during  his  practice  of  dentistry  he 
prosecuted  his  medical  studies.  He  attended 
medical  lectures  at  both  the  Ohio  Medical 
College,  and  the  Eclectic  Medical  School  of 
Cincinnati,  and  received  diplomas  from  those 
institutions,  in  May,  1871.  May  20, 1871,  he 
married  Miss  Charlotte  L.  StoU,  daughter  of 
H.  B.  and  Susan  (Hall)  StoU,  both  natives  of 
New  .lersey.  Mrs.  Hubbard  was  the  oldest 
of  a  family  of  six  children,  and  was  born  July 
35,  1848.  Her  father  died  in  March,  1865, 
and  Mrs.  Stoll  resides  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbard  have  two  sons,  Henry 
C.  and  Frank  L. 

HENRY  F.  KORS,  Deputy  Circuit  Clerk 
of  Cass  County,  Virginia  City  ;  was  born  at 
Beardstown,  Cass  Co.,  Dec.  2, 1846.  H.  Fred- 
erick Kors,  his  father,  was  born  Sept.  25, 1804, 
and  Maria  (Herainghouse)  Kors,  his  mother, 
were  natives  of  the  Kingdom  of  Hanover,  which 
was  formerly  a  portion  of  northwestern  Ger- 
many. Mr.  Kors  was  a  plasterer  by  trade, 
which  business  he  followed  until  his  death, 
in  1865.  Mrs.  Kors  died  in  1846,  leaving 
two  children:  Catharine,  now  Mrs.  Boy,  of 
Hickory,  and  our  subject.  He  received  his 
schooling  in  the  public  schools  of  Beardstown ; 
learned  the  harness  makers  and  carriage  trim- 
mers trade,  which  he  followed  for  a  time,  and  in 
1868  entered  the  business  for  himself.  He  sold 
out  in  1869.  After  making  a  trip  to  Missouri,  he 
followed  merchandising,  as  salesman,  until 
December,  1876,  when  he  was  appointed 
Deputy  Circuit  Clerk  of  Cass  County,  by 
Thomas V.  Finney,  and  has  since  that  time  held 
that  position.     January  13,  1869,  he  married 


Miss  Laura  Finney,  daughter  of  Thomas  V. 
Finney,  Sr.,  an  early  resident  of  Cass  County. 
They  have  three  sons:  Martin  L.,  Tad  S.,  and 
Preston  V.  Addie  and  Ida,  two  older  daugh- 
ters, are  deceased.  Laura  Davis  has  been  a 
member  of  the  family  about  six  years.  She 
is  their  niece,  and  a  daughter  of  F.  M.  Davis, 
formerly  of  Beardstown,  a  farmer,  now  de- 
ceased. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kors  are  members  of 
tlie  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Kors  is  a 
Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of 
Virginia. 

JOSEPH  S.  LYNCH,  Virginia  City,  County 
Surveyor  ;  is  a  native  of  Lancaster  County, 
Penn.;  was  born  Aug.  13, 1838,  at  a  town  of  the 
same  name.  His  father,  James  Lynch,  now  de- 
ceased, was  of  Irish  descent,  born  in  the  same 
town;  he  was  a  merchant  by  occupation,  and 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Schmaling,  of  German 
extraction.  Joseph  S.  received  his  schooling  in 
the  schools  of  Lancaster,  and  renuiined  at  home 
until  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  1861 
he  entered  the  Union  Army,  enlisting  at  Free- 
port,  Stevenson  Co.,  111.,  in  the  11th  III.  Vol. 
Infantry  ;  Feb.  16,  1863,  he  was  taken  pris- 
oner at  Fort  Donelson.  He  was  held  by  the 
enemy  about  eight  months,  at  Macon,  Ga., 
and  then  exchanged.  He  immediately  re- 
turned to  his  regiment,  served  in  the  forty 
days  campaign  before  Vicksburg  ;  July  7, 
1864,  he  received  a  severe  musket  Ijall  wound, 
in  both  thighs,  at  the  battle  of  Jackson  Cross- 
roads, Miss.,  was  left  on  the  field  as  mortally 
wounded,  picked  up  by  the  enemy,  and 
was  again  imprisoned  in  a  rebel  hospital 
at  Clinton,  Miss.,  for  about  two  months, 
whereupon  he  was  again  exchanged.  He 
then  reported  to  his  regiment  in  Arkansas. 
His  time  having  expired,  he  received  his  dis- 
charge, Sept.  13,  1864,  and  returned  to  Illi- 
nois. He  soon  entered  farming  in  Stevenson 
County.  Still  suffering  from  the  effects  of  his 
wound,  he  was  after  two  years'  trial  obliged  to 
abandon  the  farm,  and  in  1866  came  to  Cass 


2nr, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCIIEi^. 


County,  and  commenced  tcachinw  school, 
which  he  continued  for  about  five  years.  He 
then  took  up  the  profession  of  surveying,  and 
has  from  that  time  on  made  it  his  principal 
business.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Sur- 
veyor of  Cass  County,  in  1872,  and  served  one 
term,  with  satisfaction  to  the  citizens  of  the 
county,  anil  was  again  elected  in  1879,  since 
which  time  he  has  held  the  office.  May  30, 
1872,  he  married  Miss  Matilda  J.  Martin, 
daughter  of  Joel  and  Eliza  Martin,  now  living 
in  Nebraska.  Mr.  Lynch  is  a  life-long  Re- 
publican, and  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W., 
of  Virginia  City. 

JOHN  MARTIN,  (ileceased);  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  in  1829,  and  was  a  son  o*' Will- 
iam and  Mary  (Anderson)  Martin,  the  former 
of  Irish  descent,  and  his  wife  of  American 
ancestry,  so  far  as  known.  John  was  the  old- 
est of  their  family  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter,  and  the  only  one  that  ever  came 
West.  He  was  a  guiismitli  by  trade,  and 
made  it  the  jjrincipal  occupation  of  his  life. 
He  left  his  native  State  and  came  to  Ohio  in 
1853,  located  at  Gil  more,  Tuscarawas  Co., 
where  he  married  Miss  Rose  Ann  Turner, 
daughter  of  James  and  Julia  (Romig)  Tur- 
ner. James  Turner  is  of  English  descent, 
and  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  Mrs.  Turner 
is  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Romig,  of  German  de- 
scent, a  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  and 
by  occupation  a  farmer,  and  a  saddler  by 
trade.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Turner  came  to  Illinois 
from  Ohio  in  1853,  lived  for  a  time  at  Deca- 
tur, in  Macon  County,  and  in  185G  came  to 
Cass  County,  Hickory  precinct  (then  Vir- 
ginia), located  on  a  farm,  where  they  still 
live,  surrounded  with  a  family  of  grown-up 
children,  and  the  comforts  of  a  well  regulated 
country  home.  Mrs.  Martin  was  the  second 
child  of  the  family,  and  was  born  Feb.  7, 
1835.  Mr.  Martin  pursued  his  calling,  in  Vir- 
ginia, coming  directly  from  Ohio  in  1853.  In 
1358  he  went  with  his  familv  to  Paris,  Edgar 


County,  and  there  followed  his  trade,  until'the 
breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  in  18G1,  when 
he  enlisted,  in  response  to  President  Lincoln's 
first  call  for  volunteers.  He  was  enrolled 
from  Edgar  County,  but  the  14th  111.  Vol. 
Cav.  being  full,  his  entire  Co.  I  was  mustered 
into  the  first  Mo.  Vol.  Cav.  He  was  soon 
promoted  from  a  private  to  first  lieutenant, 
but  died  of  sickness  at  Rolla,  Mo.,  just  before 
his  commission  reached  him.  The  sad  news 
of  his  death  reached  his  bereaved  widow,  left 
with  six  fatherless  little  ones,  all  too  young 
to  fully  understand  the  loss  of  their  nearest 
and  most  valuable  earthly  friend.  Mrs.  Mar- 
tin's experiences,  for  the  years  that  have  now 
passed,  were  only  a  repetition  of  what  many  a 
brave  and  widowed  mother  was  in  those 
days  called  upon  to  withstand.  Left  upon 
her  own  resources,  she  kept  her  little  family 
together,  afforded  them  every  advantage 
within  her  reach,  to  gain  an  education,  and  a 
clear  understanding  of  what  was  right  and 
wrong;  and  her  faithfulness  is  duly  rewardcMl 
by  living  to  see  her  boys  all  settled  in  life, 
and  each  prospered  in  his  adopted  calling. 
She  died  May  23,  1878,  in  Virginia. 

J.  A.  Martin,  the  well  known  merchant 
tailor,  of  Virginia,  was  born  May  9,  1853,  in 
Ohio,  and  is  the  oldest  living  son  of  the 
family.  He  attended  the  common  schools  of 
Cass  and  Edgar  Counties,  this  State,  and  later 
the  Illinois  College  at  Fulton,  Whiteside  Co., 
111.  He  learned  the  tailor's  trade  with  Mr. 
H.  W.  Leach,  of  Bloomington,  at  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  has  from  that  time  followed 
it.  He  engaged  permanently  in  business  in 
Virginia  in  1876,  and  most  of  the  time  at  his 
present  location.  No.  10,  West  Beardstown 
St.  Mr.  Martin  conducts  a  first  class 
tailoring  establishment,  in  every  respect,  and 
always  has  on  hand  a  complete  stock  of 
goods  in  the  latest  patterns.  He  was  married 
March  4,  1874,  to  Miss  Ida  C.  Herr,  daughter 
of    H.    S.    and     Rebecca   (Myers)    Herr,    of 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


209 


Bloomington,  111.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren :  Nellie,  Guy  C,  and  Edna  M.  Nel- 
lie died,  at  two  years  of  age,  in  1877. 

The  second  living  son  is  John  S.,  a  marble 
cutter,  born  in  Cass  County,  this  State, 
June  35,  1854.  He  received  his  schooling  in 
the  pioneer  schools  of  his  native  county,  and 
came  to  Virginia  in  1ST6.  He  attended  the 
Illinois  College  at  Fulton,  and  in  1870  entered 
a  marble  shop  as  an  apprentice;  served  eight 
years  in  the  business,  with  marked  success. 
In  1876  he  visited  Philadelphia,  and  other 
eastern  cities,  making  his  trip  a  valuable  one, 
in  observing  much  pertaining  to  his  chosen 
profession.  As  a  sculptor,  Mr.  Martin  has  dis- 
played talent,  having  produced  several  very 
creilitabl}'  wrought  pieces  of  statuary.  As  a 
monumental  designer,  his  ability  is  shown  by 
by  some  extensive  plans  of  a  monument  to 
be  submitted  to  the  Garfield  Monument  As- 
sociation, of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  His  plans  con- 
template an  expenditure  of  $250,000.  Mr. 
Martin  married  Miss  Alice  L.,  daughter  of 
William  L.,  and  Andromache  B.  (Naylor), 
Black  of  Virginia.  George  W.  was  the  next 
born,  his  birthday  being  January  4,  1856,  in 
Virginia,  and  is  the  third  of  the  family  now 
living.  He  received  his  education  at  the  State 
Normal  School,  of  Normal,  111.,  and  graduated 
at  the  Wesleyan  University,  from  the  law  de- 
partment, with  the  class  of  1876,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  June  of  that  year.  He 
practiced  his  profession,  in  Bloomington,  in 
company  with  Messrs.  Straight  and  Coy,  and 
continued  with  them  until  he  came  to  Virginia, 
in  1877.  Since  that  time  his  practice  has  been 
steadily  increasing,  with  bright  prospects  for 
the  future.  He  married  Oct.  5,  1881,  Miss 
Quintella  D.,  daughter  of  John  Sallie  (deceas- 
ed), formerly  a  farmer  of  Virginia.  Charles 
^jSOP,  the  fourth  of  the  family,  was  born  Nov.  4, 
1857,  in  Virginia,  Cass  Co.  His  people,  about 
this  tim?  moved  to  Edgar  County,  and  he  re- 
riMvcd  his  early  schooling  there.    Later,  he  at- 


tended the  High  School  at  Bloomington.  At 
sixteen  years  of  age  he  learned  the  painter's 
trade,  and  developed  a  taste  and  talent  as 
scenic  painter.  He  followed  his  trade  in 
Bloomington,  St.  Louis,  and  other  large  cities, 
with  success.  He  entered  the  law  office  of 
W.  S.  Coy,  of  Bloomington,  and  continued 
with  him  as  a  student  until  1877,  when  lie 
came  to  Virginia,  taught  school,  and  pros- 
ecuted his  law  studies,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  at  Springfield,  in  1880,  and  since  that 
time    has    practiced    in  Virginia.      Sept.    8, 

1881,  he  married  Miss  Sallie  R.,  daughter  of 
James  M.  Beadles,  of  Virginia.  Jex.vie  R., 
is  the  sixth  child  of  the  family,  and  now 
Mrs.  George W.  Berris,  of  Sedalia,  Mo.  Will- 
iam R.,  the  youngest,  was  born  at  Paris,  Ed- 
gar County,  III.,  May  5,  1861.  He  attended 
school  about  three  months  in  Virginia,  and 
later,  at  the  Soldiers'  and  Orphans'  home  at 
Bloomington.  He  learned  the  tailor's  trade  of 
his  brother  James  A.,  and  is  now  associated 
with   him    in  business.     He  married  Feb.  22, 

1882,  Miss  Harriet  E.,  daughter  of  James 
Beadles,  before  mentioned. 

HENDERSON  E.  MASSEY,  of  Virginia 
Precinct,  was  born  July  27,  1810,  at  Horse- 
shoe Bend,  Culpepper  Co.,  Old  Virginia. 
Samuel  Massey,  his  father,  was  a  native  of 
Halifax,  Md.,  of  German  descent,  and  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812;  served  as  a  Cap- 
tain at  the  battle  of  New  Orleans,  1813,  and 
died  soon  after  his  return  home,  in  1815,  of 
fever,  contracted  in  the  service.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Olive,  daughter  of 
Mordecai  Choplain,  who  was  of  French  de- 
scent. They  had  a  family  of  eight  children, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  but  our  sub- 
ject is  the  only  one  now  living,  and  was  the 
sixth  child.  Henderson  E.  was  raised  a 
farmer,  although  his  father  was  a  school 
teacher,  and  a  man  of  excellent  education. 
Mr.  Massey  first  came  to  Morgan  Countv,  in 
1820,  but    remained  only  a  short  time,  wlu-n 


210 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES, 


he  made  a  trip  to  Wisconsin,  and  fiom  tliat 
State  entered  the  Black  Hawk  war,  in  1833, 
in  which  he  served  about  six  raonths,  liaviiig 
been  attached  to  the  Mining  Battalion,  and 
served  as  keeper  of  the  peace,  after  the  hottest 
of  the  conflict  was  over.  He  permanently 
settled  in  Illinois  in  1833,  near  Mount  Ster- 
ling, Brown  Co.,  where  he  remained  about 
four  years.  He  then  came  to  North  Prairie, 
his  present  home,  in  the  southern  part  of 
Virginia  Precinct,  near  Little  Indian.  His 
first  purchase  of  land  here,  was  250  acres,  to 
which  he  has  added,  until  he  now  owns  about 
800  acres.  He  married  Miss  Martha, 
daughter  of  James  Marshall,  an  early  pioneer 
of  North  Prairie,  and  a  native  of  Glasgow, 
Scotland.  He  was  a  merchant  in  Scotland, 
and  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  where  he  lived 
until  he  came  to  Cass  County.  He  had  a 
family  of  eight  children,  and  Mrs.  Massey 
was  the  fifth.  Mrs.  Massey  died  March  29, 
1874,  leaving  the  following  children:  James 
F.,  Elizabeth  A.,  Mary  J.,  Henry  C,  Samuel, 
Henderson  R.,  John  H.,  Esther  M.,  Harriet 
M.,  Bell  H.,  George,  and  Emma  L.  Four 
sons  are  married,  two  are  located  in  Cass 
County,  one  in  California,  and  one  at  Litch- 
field, Montgomery  Co.  Mary  is  now  Mrs. 
George  Laurie,  of  Morgan  County;  Elizabeth 
married  Mr.  William  Nisbet,  of  Cass  County, 
and  the  other  daughters  are  still  at  home. 
Mr.  Massey  is  not  a  partisan  in  politics,  but 
votes  for  the  best  candidate. 

T.  L.  MATHEWS.  The  subject  of  this 
brief  sketch  is  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State, 
and  was  born  in  the  town  of  Florence,  Wash- 
ington County,  Penn.,  March  1,  1849.  When 
quite  young  his  parents  moved  to  Kentucky, 
where  the  early  years  of  his  life  were  spent, 
■with  the  exception  of  about  three  years 
spent  in  Rushville,  Schuyler  County,  111. 
When  the  war  broke  out  the  family  returned 
to  the  East,  and  there  remained  until  the 
spring    of  1805,    when    Mr.    Mathews    again 


came  West,  stopping  at  Rushville  a  few 
months,  and  then  located  at  Vermont,  Fulton 
County,  111.  Here  he  started  in  as  an  ap- 
prentice and  learned  the  trade  of  a  carriage- 
builder,  and  became  an  expert  workman.  In 
the  spring  of  1809  he  removed  to  Beards- 
town,  where  he  pursued  his  trade  two  years, 
and  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  collector 
and  salesman  for  the  firm  that  employed  him. 
In  the  winter  of  18T2  he  entered  the  New 
York  Store,  in  that  city,  as  a  salesman.  In 
the  spring  of  1873  Mr.  Mathews  was  appoint- 
ed Deputy  Sheriff  of  Cass  County,  by  George 
Volkmar,  then  Sheriff  and  Collector,  and  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  revenue  department 
of  the  office.  He  served  through  Mr.  Volk- 
niar's  term,  and  was  re-appointed  by  Sheriff 
elect,  William  Epler.  He  served  in  this  ca- 
pacity about  four  years,  with  satisfaction  to 
the  citizens  of  Cass  County,  and  credit  to 
himself.  In  1870,  Mr.  Mathews  was  nominat- 
ed by  his  party  as  their  candidate  for  Circuit 
Clerk  of  Cass  Co.;  and  tiiough  receiving 
more  than  his  party  vote,  was  swept  aside  by 
the  Tilden  and  Reform  tidal  wave,  and  failed 
of  an  election.  In  August,  1877,  he,  in  com- 
pany with  William  H.  Thacker,  purchased 
the  Virginia  Gazette.  The  following  Decem- 
ber Mr.  Mathews  bought  Mr.  Thacker's  inter- 
est, and  successfully  continued  the  publica- 
tion alone  al>out  one  year.  Jan.  1,  1879,  lie 
sold  out  to  Mr.  Cad.  Allard,  and  returned  to 
the  service  of  his  county,  receiving  the  ap- 
pointment of  deputy,  by  .James  B.  Black, 
County  Clerk,  and  served  four  years  in  that 
office.  In  1882,  Mr.  Mathews  was  elected 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  Vir- 
ginia City,  and  upon  organization  of  the 
Board,  became  its  Secretary.  At  the  date  of 
writing  Mr.  Mathews  is  the  Republican  can- 
didate of  the  Thirty-fourth  Senatorial  District 
for  Representative  in  the  State  Legislature, 
and  as  a  minority  candidate  his  election  is 
certain.    Mr.  Mathews  was  married  at  Beaids- 


Vli;«;i\IA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


211 


town,  Sept.  26,  1872,  to  Miss  Lou.  E.  Thorii- 
bur}',  daughter  of  J.  A.  Thornbury,  an  early 
resident  of  Cass  County.  They  have  two 
children:  Earl  and  Ruse.  Florence  died 
Aug.  17,  ISSO. 

WIIXIAM  MOORE,  deceased,  one  of  the 
respected  pioneers  of  Cass  County,  vvas  a  na- 
tive of  Maryland;  was  born  March  8,  1799. 
He  had  four  brothers:  George,  Robert, 
Thomas  and  John,  and  three  sisters:  Martha, 
Sarah  and  Nancy.  In  early  manhood  Mr. 
Jfoore  was  a  boatman  on  the  Ohio  and  the 
Mississippi  rivers.  Oct.  4,  1831,  he  married 
Miss  Keziah  Moore  (not  a  relative),  daughter 
of  Isaac  Moore,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion. Mrs.  Moore's  mother,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Rachael  Lewis,  died  when  she  was 
about  four  years  of  age,  and  she  was  left  to 
the  care  of  an  uncle  and  aunt,  who  gave  her 
school  advantages,  and  made  for  her  a  com- 
fortable home.  Mr.  Moore  first  came  to  Cass 
County  in  1834,  and  landed  at  Boardstown  in 
April.  He  made  purchase  of  the  present 
Moore  homestead,  and  moved  on  to  it  the  fol- 
lowing August.  The  place  formerly  compris- 
ed 204  acres,  but  parcels  have  been  sold  from 
it,  until  it  now  contains  about  44  acres.  Mr. 
Moore  was  an  honest,  conscientious  citizen, 
and  a  thrifty  farmer.  He  died  April  26,  1865, 
leaving  his  wife  surrounded  by  a  famiiv  of 
thirteen  children,  viz.:  Manilious,  now  Mrs. 
Carle  Pond,  of  Morgan  County ;  James  N.,  now 
at  home,  once  married,  and  has  one  son; 
Nancy  F.,  now  Mrs.  J.  A.  Bond,  of  Menard 
County;  Robert  B.,  at  home;  Thomas  S.,  of 
Washington  County,  Kan.;  Amanda  M.,  now 
Mrs.  Robert  MoNeal,  of  Cass  County;  William 
A.,  in  Montgomery  County,  Iowa;  John  I.,  of 
Cass  County;  Charles  B.;  Ulysses  S.,  a  farmer 
of  Cass  County;  Lorinda  A.,  now  Mrs.  George 
Wubker,  of  Virginia,  Cass  County;  George  C, 
died  an  infant,  and  Alma  A.,  is  at  home.  Mrs. 
Moore  has  now  forty-three  grandchildren. 

R.  H.  MANN,  photographer,  Virginia  City; 


was  born  in  Wilmington,  Jan.  29,  1855. 
His  father,  H.  T.  Mann,  was  a  carriage  trim- 
mer, and  a  native  of  London,  England.  Em- 
igrated to  America  at  about  twenty-five 
j-ears  of  age.  His  mother  was,  before  mar- 
riage, Matilda  Stevens,  and  married  Mr. 
Mann,  in  London,  and  Robert  H.  was  the  old- 
est of  their  two  sons.  Our  subject  received 
his  primary  education  in  his  native  town,  after- 
ward attended  Lockport,  111.,  High  School, 
and  later  in  Bloominorton.  Mr.  Mann  grained 
his  first  experience  as  a  photographer  in  Fari- 
bault, Minn.,  where  he  continued  work  for 
about  four  years.  He  then  went  to  St.  Paul, 
same  State,  where  he  made  the  art  of  re-touch. 
ing  a  specialty  for  the  best  establishments  of 
that  city.  He  next  came  to  Jacksonville,  111., 
and  there  spent  two  years  with  A.  W.  Cad- 
man,  and  July  29,  1879,  came  to  Virginia, 
bought  out  C.  H.  Cummings,  and  since  that 
time  has  successfully  conducted  the  business, 
making  for  himself  the  reputation  of  producing 
as  good  work  as  any  artist  in  Central  or  South- 
ern Illinois.  Aside  from  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Mann  is  a  thorough  and  practical  artist,  he  has 
a  commodious  gallery,  constructed  especial- 
ly for  his  business,  which  is  well  stocked  with 
all  the  latest  modern  appliances  for  producing 
first-class  work.  He  married  Mrs.  Maggie 
Hickox  of  Virginia,  Feb.  28,  1882. 

LACHLAN  McNeill,  one  of  the  early 
comers  to  Cass  County,  vras  born  in  Argvle, 
Scotland,  Jan.  25,  1809.  He  received  his  ed- 
ucation in  Scotland,  and  was  a  shepherd  and 
a  fsrmer  previous  to  coming  to  America,  as 
was  also  his  father,  Charles  McNeill.  He  left 
his  native  home  to  seek  his  fortune  in  a 
strange  land.  May  6,  1837;  brought  with  him 
his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Flora  Tay- 
tor,  and  his  first  born  child.  They  terminated 
their  long  and  tedious  sea  voyage  at  Montre- 
al, Canada,  where  they  remained  about  six 
weeks,  and  there  a  second  child  was  born  to 
them.     They  soon  proceeded  on  their  journcv 


212 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


westward,  and  spent  one  year  in  Clark  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  one  year  in  Champaign  County,  and 
in  1839  came  to  Cass  County  and  located  on  a 
farm  near  his  present  home.  His  faithful  and 
devoted  wife  died  Sept.  3,  1859,  having  bless- 
ed him  with  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Robert,  a  farmer  of  Cas;  County, 
Flora,  Margaret  (now  Mrs.  Daniel  Carr,  of 
Sangamon  Bottoms),  and  Charles.  Mary, 
Paschal  and  Elizabeth  are  deceased.  Mr.  Mc- 
Niell  has  ever  been  an  industrious  and  a  fru- 
gal farmer,  a  good  and  enterprising  citizen,  is 
one  of  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  Shi- 
loh  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Vir- 
ginia Precinct,  and  is  truly  one  of  Cass 
County's  pioneers. 

WILLIAM  T.  MELONE  is  a  son  of  .John 
and  Elizabeth  Ann  (Morrow)  Melone;  the  for- 
mer came  to  Virginia  in  1837,  and  settled  five 
miles  southeast  of  Arenzville,  then  in  Sanga- 
mon County,  but  now  Cass,  being  in  the  three 
mile  strip  taken  from  Morgan  County.  .lohn 
Melone  was  an  early  school  teacher  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  came  to  Illinois  about  1842-3. 
His  wife  was  a  native  of  Kentucky.  They 
had  eight  children  born  to  them,  four  of  whom 
are  still  living:  William  T.  (our  subject),  Jen- 
nie H.,  Oscar,  and  Lulu  B.  Mary  C,  Lucy  A., 
Ida  L.,  and  George  W.,  are  deceased.  Will- 
iam T.,  our  subject,  was  born  November  24, 
1844,  in  Cass  County,  and  educated  in  the 
schools  of  his  neighborhood.  Farmingr  has 
been  his  business.  He  was  married  February 
2,  1876,  to  Lucy  A.  Conover,  a  daughter  of 
•John  and  Nancy  (Bennett)  Conover.  (See 
sketch.)  She  was  the  ninth  child,  and  one  of 
twins.  Have  three  children:  Edgar,  born  Feb. 
7,  1877;  Nettie,  born  March  23,  1879;  and 
Mary  L.,  born  Nov.  21,  1880.  Mr.  Melone 
is  a  resident  of  Virginia  since-  December, 
1871;  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  Mrs.  Melone  of  the  Christian  Church. 

RICHARD  W.  MILLS,  attorney-at-law, 
Virginia;  was  born   Aug.   3,  1815,  in  Morgan 


County,  111.  His  father,  Chesley  Mills,  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  was  a  mason  and 
builder  by  trade,  and  came  to  Illinois  in  the 
year  1813,  with  his  father,  Charles  Mills,  who 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  a  native,  and  in 
early  days,  a  slave  holder  of  the  above 
named  State.  He  located  at  Hannibal,  Mo., 
where  he  died.  Chesley  learned  his  trade  in 
St.  Louis,  and  followed  it  in  Edwardsville, 
.Jacksonville,  Quincy,  and  finally  located  at 
Lynnville,  Morgan  Co.  He  married  Miss  Har- 
riet, daughter  of  Dr.  George  Cadwell,  and 
granddaughter  of  General  Mathew  Lyon. 
Chesley  Mills  had  three  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters. All  are  living,  and  but  two,  beside 
our  subject,  are  residents  of  Illinois.  Thomas 
is  a  miner,  of  Wyoming  Territory;  George 
a  stock  broker,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.;  Emily, 
now  Mrs.  T.  W.  Jones,  of  Wilmington, 
111.;  Maria  is  now  widow  Demorest,  and 
lives  with  her  mother,  in  Morgan  County. 
Our  subject,  the  youngest,  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Jacksonville,  and  later,  the  Illi- 
nois College.  He  studied  law  with  Judge 
Epler,  of  that  city,  and  was  admitted  to 
the    bar    of    the    State,    at    Springfield,    in 

1870.  He    came    to    Virginia   in    January, 

1871,  having  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
Epler,  his  former  law  tutor.  Their  part- 
nership lasted  until  January,  1873,  when  Mr. 
Epler  was  elected  to  the  bench  of  Morgan 
County.  Mr.  Mills  married  Feb.  4,  1873,  to 
Miss  Matilda,  daughter  of  Dr.  Harvey  Tate, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  respected  physi- 
cians of  Cass  County.  A  sketch  of  Dr.  Tate 
may  be  seen  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Mr. 
Mills  served  as  Master  in  Chancery,  during 
the  years  of  1874  to  1880,  City  Attorney  of 
Virginia,  18T2-'3,  also  in  1881  and  1882.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  K.  of 
H.  Mr.  Mills  enlisted  at  fifteen  years  of  age, 
in  Company  B,  Tenth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, for  three  months;  but  was  not  ac- 
cepted, on  account  of  age  and  size.     He  made 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


213 


a  second  trial  in  Chicago  the  following  month 
of  May,  and  passed  muster  for  three  years,  in 
Company  F.  Nineteenth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  Participated  in  battles  of  Stone 
River,  Chickamauga,  Mission  Ridge,  and  was 
mustered  out  July  11,  lSi34. 

WILLIAM  L  MITCHELL,  one  of  the 
most  energetic  and  enterprising  farmers  of 
Ashland  Precinct,  is  a  native  of  Cass  County, 
and  was  born  in  the  above  Precinct,  March 
6,  1848.  His  father,  Washington  A.  Mitchell, 
of  whom  a  sketch  appears  in  this  volume,  is  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  married  Miss  Re- 
becca W.  Crow,  daughter  of  William  Crow, 
an  early  pioneer  of  Cass  County,  and  they 
had  five  sons  and  two  daughters;  of  these  our 
subject  is  the  second  oldest.  He  received  his 
schooling  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
precinct,  and  later,  attended  the  Wesleyan 
University,  at  Blooraington.  He  taught 
school  in  southern  Cass  County,  and  some  in 
Morgan,  for  about  seven  years,  doing  farming 
between  school  terms.  He  purchased  a  farm 
in  Ashland  Precinct,  but  sold  it  in  1878.  He 
married,  on  Oct.  21,  1879,  to  Miss  Reasie  A. 
Skiles,  daughter  of  Ignatius  Skiles,  deceased, 
of  whom  a  sketch  and  full  page  portrait  ap- 
pears in  this  volume.  They  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Mabel  S.,  born  Aug.  1, 1880.  Mr.  Mitchell 
is  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  stock 
raising,  on  a  portion  of  the  Skiles  estate,  com- 
prising about  640  acres  of  valuable  land, 
lying  about  two  and  one-half  miles  east  of 
Virginia. 

EDWARD  T.  OLIVER,  banker,  Virginia; 
was  born  in  the  city  of  Virginia,  Cass  County, 
April  23,  1849.  His  father,  Charles  Oliver, 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Cass  County,  and 
in  the  year  1835,  in  company  with  Dr.  Hall, 
came  to  Virginia.  Dr.  Hall  was  o;:e  of  the 
first  merchants  of  Virginia,  and  Charles  Oliver 
■was  for  a  time  his  clerk,  and  in  time  following 
entered  the  mercantile  business  for  himself, 
in  which  he  continued  with  success  until  his 


death,  which  occurred  Sept.  5,  187  i*,  he  at 
that  time  being  sixty-three  years  of  age.  He 
married  Lydia  Ann  Job,  second  child  of 
Archibald  and  Jane  (Bricrly)  Job,  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Southern  Illinois.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Oliver  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter, 
viz.:  William  A.,  Charles  R.,  Morrison  J., 
Rudolph  B.,  Edward  T.,  and  Harriet,  deceased 
at  two  years  of  age.  Thus  it  will  be  seen, 
that  Edward  T.  was  the  fifth  son.  He  re- 
ceived a  thorough  common  school  education, 
and  gained  a  thorough  and  practical  business 
exoerience  while  in  the  employ  of  his  father 
as  salesman  in  his  store.  In  1866  he  entered 
the  Farmer's  National  Bank,  as  a  book-keeper. 
In  1872,  the  management  of  this  house  prac- 
tically had  a  change,  and  as  Mr.  Oliver's  posi- 
tion in  the  concern  was  wanted  by  another, 
he  was  retired.  His  ability  as  a  rising  young 
business  man  was  very  generally  recognized 
in  business  circles,  and  his  talents  found  a 
ready  market,  as  he  was  immediately  called 
to  assume  a  more  responsible  position  in 
the  well  known  banking  firm  of  Petefish, 
Skiles  &  Co.  Since  his  connection  with 
this  institution,  he  has  been  the  cashier, 
and  a  partner  in  the  business.  Oct.  20, 1870, 
Mr.  Oliver  married  Miss  Maggie  S.  Vance, 
daughter  of  Samuel  S.  and  Martha  (Steven- 
son) Vance.  Mr.  Vance  was  one  of  the  old 
settlers  of  Morgan  County.  He  died  in  18G8. 
They  have  had  four  children,  viz.:  Edward  C, 
Bertha  L.,  George  W.,  and  Rena,  who  died  in 
1873,  when  three  months  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Oliver  are,  since  1874,  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Oliver  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  substantial  and 
enterprising  business  men  of  his  city;  is  alive 
to  any  and  all  business  enterprises  tending  to 
the  prosperity  of  his  town,  or  the  general 
public  good.  He  was  active  as  a  member  of 
the  City  Council,  when  it  authorized  the  build- 
ing of  their  present  commodious  court-house, 
and  afterward  became  a  member  of  the  Build- 


214 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


ing  Committee.  A  sketch  of  the  banking 
house  of  Petefish,  Skiles  &  Co.,  with  which 
Mr.  Oliver  is  connected,  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  volume. 

SAMUEL  H.  PETEFISH,  banker.  Very 
few  of  the  present  citizens  of  Cass  County 
have  been  and  are  more  closely  identified 
with  the  business  interests  of  their  prosper- 
ous little  city,  than  has  been  and  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Petefish  came  to 
Cass  County  at  a  time  when  men  of  pith  and 
energy  were  most  needed  to  develop  its  un- 
seen resources,  and  establish  its  growth  upon 
the  foundations  of  solid  business  principles; 
and  the  success  of  this  work,  done  by  the  pi- 
oneers of  his  and  earlier  days,  stands  out  in 
bold  relief  as  a  monument  to  their  industry 
and  perseverance.  Mr.  Petefish's  parents 
were  natives  of  Old  Virginia.  They  emi- 
grated from  that  State  and  settled  in  Morgan 
County  in  1835,  upon  the  three-mile  strip, 
finally  attached  to  Cass  County  and  about  five 
miles  south  of  the  present  location  of  the  city 
of  Virginia.  His  father,  Jacob,  died  in  ISiO, 
on  the  homestead,  and  his  mother  was  former- 
ly Elizabeth  Price.  They  raised  a  family  of 
ten  children,  six  sons  and  four  daughters: 
^Yilliam,  Jacob,  Samuel  H.,  John  A.,  Andrew 
J.,  and  Thomas  B.  Besides  our  subject,  Ja- 
cob and  John  are  residents  of  Cass  County; 
William  and  Thomas  reside  in  Douglas  Coun- 
ty, Kan.;  Andrew  fell  a  soldier  in  the  late 
war.  Mrs.  Sarah  (Robert)  Maxfield  is  the 
only  surviving  daughter.  She  and  her  hus- 
band reside  in  Macoupin  County,  in  which  lo- 
cality died  her  sister,  Mrs.  Ellen  (Joseph) 
Crum.  Mrs.  Dinah  (Rev.  Daniel)  Short  died 
in  Sangamon  County.  Christian  Petefish, 
our  sul)ject's  grandfather,  came  to  this  coun- 
try as  a  Hessian  soldier.  He  deserted  the 
English  army  soon  after  the  battle  of  Prince- 
ton, and  joining  the  patriot  forces,  fought  no- 
bly for  the  independence  of  America.  He 
settled  in  Old  Virginia  after  the  close  of  the 


conflict,  where  he  raised  a  family  of  children, 
viz.:  John,  Christian,  Georg  j,  Jacob,  and  Mrs. 
Catharine  Chamberlain,  who  now  lives  in  Ne- 
braska. March  18,  1848,  Mr.  Petefish  mar- 
ried Miss  Nancy  M.,  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Melinda  (Huffman)  Hudson.  Mrs.  Petefish  is 
a  native  of  the  State  of  Virginia.  Her 
father  removed  from  that  State  to  Kentucky, 
and  then  to  Cass  County,  in  the  year  18ii7,  lo- 
ing  in  township  seventeen,  range  eleven, 
on  section  fourteen.  He  was  twice  married, 
Melinda  being  his  first  wife,wUo  left  him  two 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Mrs.  Petefish  was 
the  elder,  and  was  born  May  'Z,  1827,  soon 
after  her  parents  arrived  in  Cass  County. 
With  the  exception  of  five  years  spent  in  Mc- 
Donough  County,  he  lived  in  Cass  County. 
Mrs.  Hudson  died  in  June,  1853,  and  in  1855 
Mr.  Hudson  married  Mrs.  Mathias.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Petefish  have  been  blessed  with 
eight  children,  of  whom  three  only  are  liv- 
ing: Miss  Mary  E.,  married  Joseph  Chamber- 
lain, Louis,  and  Miss  Ada  L.  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain died  in  Missouri  about  1870,  and  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  is  living  with  her  parents.  Hen- 
ry T.,  a  lad  about  twelve  years  of  age,  was 
lost  during  the  burning  of  the  steamer  Ocean 
Spray,  which  sad  catastrophe  occurred  on  the 
Mississippi  river,  about  five  miles  above  St. 
Louis.  Mr.  Petefish  is  known  through  Cen- 
tral Illinois  as  being  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising and  successful  business  men  of  Cass 
County,  and  at  the  head  of  three  successful 
banking  houses,  sketches  of  which  appear 
elsewhere  in  this  work,  and  also  a  lull  page 
portrait  of  our  subject. 

JACOB  PETEFISH  was  born  in  Rock- 
ingham County,  Va.,  and  came  with  his 
father  and  family  into  the  present  limits  of 
Cass  County  in  1835.  A  settlement  was  made 
in  Tp.  17  north,  range  10  west,  where  his 
parents  continued  to  reside  until  taken  away 
by  death.  His  father  departed  this  life  in 
1849,  and  his  mother  in   1853.      They   were 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


215 


members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  had 
the  reputation  of  being  devout  Christian  peo- 
ple. They  raised  the  following  family:  Mrs. 
Mary  (Reuben)  Faltz,  and  William  (twins), 
Dinah,  Mrs.  (Rev.  Daniel)  Short,  Elizabeth, 
Mrs.  Sarah  (Robert)  Maxfield,  and  Mrs.  Helen 
(Joseph)  Crum,  Jacob,  Samuel  H.,  and  John  A. 
Of  these,  Andrew  was  in  the  Union  service 
during  the  late  rebellion,  and  was  mortally 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Look  Out  Mountain. 
Thomas,  the  youngest,  resided  in  Kansas.  In 
May,  1855,  our  subject  married  Miss  Nancy 
C,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Margaret 
Strickler,  of  Rockingham,  Coutity,  Va.,  by 
whom  he  had  the  following  children:  Benja- 
min S.,  Berryman  S.,  Edward  E.,  Joseph  H., 
Andrew  J.,  Marcellus  C,  Nellie,  Frank,  and 
Lizzie  L.  Mr.  Petefish's  paternal  grandfather. 
Christian,  was  one  of  the  Hessians,  hired,  or 
rather  sold,  into  the  English  service  against 
the  Infant  Colonies,  confederated  against  Brit- 
ish oppression.  True  to  the  native  instincts 
of  a  noble  manhood,  he  deserted  the  English 
army  and  espoused  the  cause  of  patriotism. 
After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  settled  in  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  died.  In  this  State  his  son 
Jacob,  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  and  re- 
sided, and  there  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Price,  the  mother  of  the  children  pre- 
viously mentioned.  Mr.  Petefish,  when 
about  of  age,  purchased  on  his  own  re- 
sponsibility, about  200  acres  of  land  and  com- 
menced farming.  W^ith  industry  and  perse- 
verance he  has  added  to  his  estate  until  he 
now  owns  about  GOO  acres  of  finely  improved 
land,  which  includes  his  father's  old  homestead. 
It  may  justly  be  said  of  Mr.  Petefish  and 
his  family,  that  they  form  one  of  the  honest 
and  trustworthy  elements  of  Cass  County. 
Mr.  Petefish,  besides  being  a  successful  agri- 
culturist, has  done  something  in  the  way  of 
grazing  and  stock  feeding. 

ADAM  PRICE  (deceased),  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Cass  County,  was  a  son  of  Adam 


and  Elizabeth  (Miller)  Price,  and  was  born  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley,  Virginia,  in  Rocking- 
ham County,  in  August,  1803.  Here  he  lived 
until  about  thirty-t.vo  years  of  age.  In  1833 
he  married  Miss  Susan  Rosenberger,  and 
came  to  Cass  County  the  same  year.  He  was 
the  first  emigrant,  direct  to  Cass  County,  from 
the  Old  Dominion  State.  He  first  located  in 
Morgan  County,  near  Arcadia,  and  remained 
there  until  his  removal  to  Virginia  Precinct, 
in  1853,  settling  on  section  28.  He  raised  a 
family  of  three  sons  and  four  daughters;  five 
of  his  oifspring  having  died  in  infancy.  Of 
these,  William  T.,  and  Adam  C,  are  still  resi- 
dents of  Cass  County.  William  T.  was  born 
Nov.  6,  1839.  In  1861,  he  entered  the  Union 
army,  and  was  mustered  in  at  Springfield,  and 
assigned  to  the  114th  111.  Vol.  Infantry  Co. 
D.  The  regiment  did  valiant  service  in  the 
department  of  the  lower  Mississippi,  and  was 
engaged  in  several  lively  battles,  including 
the  forty  days'  campaign  before  Vicksburg. 
Mr.  Price  was  taken  prisoner  at  Grand  Tower, 
Miss.,  June  10,  1864,  and  confined  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Millen,  and  Florence  prisons,  for 
about  eight  months,  and  finally  paroled  in 
February,  1865.  He  was  then  furloughed  for 
thirty  days,  reported  again  to  his  regiment, 
and  received  his  discharge  at  the  expiration 
of  his  term  of  enlistment,  Aug.  13,  1865.  Mr. 
Price  was  married  Dec.  29,  1800,  to  Miss  Ra- 
chel Augusta  Marshall,  daughter  of  William 
Marshall  {deceased).  Mr.  Marshall  was  also 
one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Cass  County,  and 
located  and  owned  at  one  time  a  laro;e  landed 
estate,  a  portion  of  which  Mr.  Price  now  owns 
and  lives  upon.  James  Marshall,  Sen.,  and 
father  of  William  Marshall,  came  to  Cass 
County  as  early  as  1825,  from  Kentucky,  and 
was  a  native  of  Woodford  County.  Mrs.  Price 
is  the  eldest  of  her  father's  family;  Miss  Jen- 
nie M.  was  next,  and  Louise  W.  (deceased 
1863),  was  the  third.  William  T.  Price  is  an 
active,  industrious,  and  successful   farmer,  as 


216 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


is  his  next  younger  brother,  Adam  C.  Price, 
who  was  born  in  May  IG,  1844,  in  Morgan 
County.  He  was  the  third  child  of  the  fami- 
ly, attended  the  common  schools  of  Cass,  and 
commenced  farming  for  himself  at  twenty 
years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Ruth  Bacon, 
daughter  of  Ira  Bacon,  a  farmer  of  Arcadia, 
Morgan  Co.,  in  November,  1864.  Mr.  Ba- 
con is  a  native  of  Connecticut,  married  Ann 
Christie,  a  native  of  the  Empire  State.  Mrs. 
Price  is  the  oldest  of  the  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adam  Price  have  eleven 
children,  as  follows:  Ann,  Thomis,  Edwin, 
Harry,  Minnie,  Delia,  Adam,  Frederick,  Ber- 
tie, Archie,  and  Mary. 

WILLIAM  B.  PAYNE,  the  leading  dry- 
goods  merchant  of  Virginia,  was  born  at 
Nicholasville,  in  Jessamine  Co.,  Ky.,  August 
24,  1824.  His  father,  Flemming  Payne,  was 
a  native  of  the  same  State,  Todd  County, 
Green  River  Country;  was  a  tailor  by  trade, 
and  made  it  the  occupation  of  his  life.  He 
married  Miss  Susan  Hightower,  daughter  of 
Captain  Richard  Hightower,  a  native  of 
Old  Virginia,  a  farmer  and  hotel-keeper. 
Flemming  Payne's  father  was  Charles  Payne, 
who  raised  a  family  of  eleven,  the  youngest 
of  which  lived  to  be  thirty  years  of  age,  and 
the  oldest  ninety-three,  and  two  are  still  living 
at  an  advanced  age.  They  all  settled  in  Ken- 
tucky, but  the  two  now  liying  are  residents  of 
Missouri.  Flemming  was  the  seventh  of  the 
family,  and  raised  two  sons  and  one  daughter. 
Charles  F.  (deceased  1860)  was  a  farmer  of 
Cass  County,  Mo.;  Miranda  H.  is  now  widow 
of  Charles  F.  Lowery,  a  merchant  of  Lexing- 
ton, later  Circuit  Clerk  of  Fayette  County.  She 
still  resides  there  at  fifty -five  years  of  age. 
William,  our  subject,  attended  school  at 
Nicholasville,  and  left  home  at  sixteen  years 
of  age.  He  clerked  in  a  store  for  a  time  in 
his  native  town,  and  then  went  to  Lexington 
and  clerked  about  five  years.  At  twenty- 
three  years  of  age  he  entered   the  dry-goods 


business  at  Oxford,  Scott  County,  Ky.  In 
1853  he  went  to  Cass  County,  ilo.,  and  fol- 
lowed farming  successfully  for  about  eight 
years.  He  came  to  Virginia,  Cass  Co.,  in 
1SG4,  and  re-entered  the  mercantile  business, 
and  has  since  that  time  continued  in  trade. 
Mr.  Page  has  spent  about  thirty  years  as  a 
merchant,  and  eighteen  years  in  Virginia. 
He  was  married  February  24,  1848,  to  Miss 
Hannah  E.  Allender,  daughter  of  Edward 
Allcnder,  of  Lexington,  Ky.  They  have 
nine  children  living:  Sue,  now  Mrs.  Finis  E. 
Downing,  present  Circuit  Clerk  of  Cass 
County;  Charles  F.,  a  merchant  of  Ashland, 
Cass  Co.,  this  State;  Miranda  H.,  wife  of 
A.  M.  Thompson,  farmer,  Cass  County;  Hen- 
rietta, B.,  or  Mrs.  D.  M.  Crum,  farmer,  of  this 
county;  Wm.  G.,  who  married  Miss  Eva  L. 
Black,  of  Virginia;  Richard  H.,  James  S., 
Eva  L.,  and  John  S.  are  still  at  home.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Payne  are  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Church,  and  Mr.  Payne  is  a  member  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  36  years'  standing. 

HENRY  QUIGG,  of  Virginia  Precinct,  a 
native  of  Wilmington,  Delaware;  was  born 
May  22,  1827.  His  father,  William  Quigg, 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  emigrated  to 
America  in  the  year  1822,  and  brought  with 
him  his  wife  and  one  child.  Mrs.  Quigg  was 
also  born  in  Ireland,  and  her  maiden  name 
was  Sarah  Rogers.  William  Quigg  was  by 
occupation  a  contractor,  and  did  quite  a  suc- 
cessful business  in  this  country,  especially  in 
the  East.  In  1832,  he  superintended  the  con- 
struction of  Pennsylvania  avenue,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  the  famous  street,  one  mile  in 
length,  that  connects  the  United  States  Capitol 
building  with  the  White  House.  This  was  in 
its  day  a  very  important  job,  as  was  all  the 
work  that  pertained  to  the  permanent  laying 
out  of  our  Nation's  Capital.  Mr.  Quigg  after- 
ward became  a  contractor  on  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  R.  R.,  and  in  1834  came  to  Cass 
County.     He  brought  with    him    his  family, 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


217 


including  wife  and  one  son,  our  subject.  A 
second  son,  Mathew,  was  born  to  him  after 
his  arrival  here,  who  is  now  a  wholesale  mer- 
chant of  Atchison,  Kansas.  Mr.  Quigg  was  a 
prosperous  and  thrifty  farmer,  and  a  shrewd 
business  man.  He  died  in  1867,  his  wife  having 
preceded  hin  to  the  land  of  eternal  rest  about 
ten  years.  Henry  Quigg,  our  subject,  received 
his  schooling  almost  entirely  in  Cass  County, 
attending  at  last  in  Beardstown.  He  com- 
menced farming  for  himself  in  the  year  1853, 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  removed  on  to  his 
present  place  in  April,  1856.  February  22, 
1852,  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Cotney,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Cotney,  of  Kent  County,  Mich., 
who  was  of  Irish  nativity.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  with  seven  children,  five  sons 
and  two  daughters.  James  F.,  a  farmer  of 
Virginia  Precinct,  who  married  Catharine 
Treadway,  William,  Thomas  John  M.,  Henry 
C,  Steven  A.,  Sarah  A.,  and  Annie.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Quigg  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church  of  Virginia. 

JUDGE  J.  W.  REARICK,  Judge  elect,  of 
Cass  County;  was  born  in  Prussia,  on 
March  17,  1833,  and  is  the  fifth  of  seven 
children.  In  1837,  his  father  emigrated 
with  his  family  from  Prussia  to  this  country, 
settling  first  in  Franklin  County,  Pa.  Here 
he  engaged  in  work  at  his  trade,  that  of  a 
tinner.  About  the  year  1856,  he  came  West 
in  quest  of  a  location,  and  fixed  upon  Beards- 
town,  111.,  as  his  future  home,  to  which  town 
he  soon  removed.  Here  he  commenced  work 
at  his  trade,  which  he  prosecuted  with  s-uc- 
cess,  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1868. 
He  was  known  as  a  workman  of  more  than 
ordinary  skill,  a  substantial  and  fair  minded 
citizen.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that 
the  father  was  careful  that  his  sons  each  ac- 
quired a  trade,  to  the  end  that  they  might  be 
more  useful  men,  and  independent  citizens, 
Jacob  W.  accordingly  received  instructions 
in    tin-smithing   of  his  father.     Ho  also  ac- 


quired a  fair  schooling.  He  preceded  his 
father  to  Beardstown,  having  located  there  in 
1854,  and  commenced  work  as  a  tinner  with 
his  brother,  Francis  H.,  who  was  at  that  time 
established  in  business  there.  With  the  lat- 
ter Jacob  W.  soon  formed  a  partnership, 
which  lasted  for  nineteen  years.  During  this 
time  he  also  formed  a  partnership  with 
another  brother,  Frederick,  and  the  firm 
erected,  and  for  about  five  years  conducted,  a 
steam  flour  mill.  Mr.  Rearick  at  the  same 
time  continuing  with  Francis  H.,  in  this  busi- 
ness, which  had  merged  into  a  general  hard- 
ware and  agricultural  implement  trade.  Judge 
Rearick  was  married  April  29,  1862,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Kuhl,  daughter  of  George 
Kuhl,  of  Beardstown.  Mrs.  Rearick  died 
April  17,  18G3,  leaving  an  infant  son,  George 
EVancis.  Judge  Rearick  again  married  on 
April  3,  1866,  to  Miss  Amanda,  daughter  of 
William  L.  Sargent,  Esq.,  of  Morgan  County. 
By  this  union  they  have  eight  children,  all  of 
whom  are  living,  viz.:  Elsie,  Ann,  Lydia,  John 
H.,  Susan  A.,  Frederic,  Elizabeth  and  Jennie. 
In  November,  1877,  Judge  Rearick  was 
elected  to  the  Judgeship  of  Cass  County,  and 
since  that  time  has  filled  the  responsible  posi- 
tion with  entire  satisfaction  to  the  citizens  of 
the  county.  His  re-nomination  was  strongly 
urged  by  many  of  his  friends,  but  the  de- 
mands of  business  and  other  duties  made 
upon  his  time,  was  his  excuse  for  declining 
further  honors,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his 
present  term  of  office  he  intends  to  retire  from 
politics.  The  success  of  Judge  Rearick  in 
rising  from  comparative  obscurity  to  the 
prominent  position  he  now  occupies  as  a  citi- 
zen, standing  at  the  head  of  the  public 
affairs  of  his  county,  is  worthy  of  note,  as 
showing  what  uprightness,  and  increasing 
energy,  worked  with  a  purpose,  will  accom- 
plish in  our  country  of  free  thought,  free 
speech,  and  free  institutions. 

GEORGE  W.  RAWLINGS,  farmer,  P.  O. 


21S 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Virginia;  Mr.  Rawlings  was  born  Dec.  23, 
1834,  in  Cecil  County,  Marj'land,  and  is  the 
oldest  son,  and  third  child  of  Greenberry 
Rawlings  and  Elizabeth  Dobler  Rawlings, 
who  raised  a  family  of  four  sons  and  three 
daughters,  having  lost  one  son  and  one  daugh- 
ter. Greenberry  Rawlings  was  also  a  native 
of  Maryland,  and  a  hatter  by  trade,  which  oc- 
cupation he  followed  until  1837,  the  year 
that  he  came  West,  and  located  about  four 
miles  west  of  Virginia  in  Cass  County.  He 
was  of  Scotch  and  English  extraction,  a 
thrifty  and  enterprising  citizen,  and  a  most 
successful  farmer,  which  business  he  followed 
until  his  death,  in  1864.  His  family  all  lo- 
cated in  Cass  County,  except  one  son  in  Kan- 
sas, and  a  daughter  in  Jacksonville,  Morgan 
County.  Our  subject  received  his  schooling 
in  the  common  schools  of  Cass  County;  was 
brought  up  a  farmer;  has  been  engaged  in 
that  occupation  and  stock  feeding  up  to  the 
present  time.  Nov.  18,  18G0,  he  married 
Miss  Martha  E.  Robertson,  daughter  of 
Charles  Robertson,  an  early  resident  of  Cass 
and  Morgan  Counties.  She  was  born  Feb. 
18,  IS-l-l,  and  was  the  fifth  of  a  familv  often 
children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rawlings  have  had 
nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living,  viz.: 
Charles  W.,  Franklin  E.,  Greenberry  A.,  Will- 
iam E.,  George  E.,  John  T.,  Samuel  J.,  Harry, 
and  Mary  C.  George  died  at  four  years  of 
age,  and  Harry  at  the  age  of  three.  Mr. 
Rawlings  \vas  a  life-long  Republican;  voted 
first  for  John  C.  Fremont.  He  cast  the  first 
Republican  vote  in  his  precinct,  and  at  a 
time  when  there  were  but  two  Republi- 
can voters  in  his  voting  precinct.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  and  of  the  A. 
O.  U.  W.  of  Virginia. 

OSWELL  SKILES,  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  Cass  County  and  most  enterpris- 
ing business  men  of  Virginia ;  was  born 
Oct.  18,  1828.  He  is  son  of  Harmon  and 
Polly  (Thompson)  Skiles,  who  was  twice  mar- 


ried. Polly  was  his  first  wife,  and  was  mother 
of  Ignatius,  and  died  leaving  Oswell  an 
infant.  They  were  natives  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  Ross  Co.,  where  their  chil- 
dren were  both  born;  Mr.  Skiles  was  a  fanner, 
in  humble  circumstances.  Our  subject,  inci- 
dent to  the  death  of  his  mother,  was  adopted 
by  one  George  Smith,  a  farmer  of  Ross 
County,  and  he  soon  removed  to  Washing- 
ton County.  Here  Oswell  grew  up,  and  was 
the  youngest  in  a  family  of  ten  children.  He 
worked  three  years  in  a  harness  shop,  learned 
the  trade,  and  in  the  fall  of  1851  came  to 
Cass  County  and  worked  for  an  uncle,  Os- 
well Thompson,  near  Arenzville,  about  one 
year.  In  1853  he  made  an  overland  trip  to 
California.  There  he  worked  for  a  farmer 
one  year  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  and  up  to 
1861  followed  mining.  He  saved  about  one 
thousand  dollars,  returned  home,  and  entered 
stock  dealing  with  his  brother,  Ignatius,  do- 
ing a  shipping  business.  This  he  followed 
with  marked  success  until  the  year  1870,  and 
since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  banking.  Mr.  Skiles  married  Miss 
Anna  Conover,  daughter  of  Levi  Conover 
(deceased).  She  died  March  31,  1877,  leav- 
ing one  son,  Lee  Harmon.  In  1879  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Eliza  Epler,  daughter  of 
George  Epler,  of  Sangamon  County.  Mr. 
Skiles  is  a  member  of  the  well  known  bank- 
ing house  of  Petefish,  Skiles  and  Co., 
Virginia;  Skiles,  Rearick  &  Co.,  of  Ashland, 
and  also  of  Petefish,  Skiles,  Mertz  &  Co.,  of 
Chandlerville;  is  a  member  of  the  Building 
Association  of  Virginia,  the  A.  O.  U.  W., 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Skiles  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

IGNATIUS  SKILES,  deceased,  whose 
portrait  appears  in  this  volume,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  August  10,  1827,  and  was  a  son  of  Har- 
mon and  Mary  (Thompson)  Skiles,  the  former 
of  whom  was  born  in  Pennsj'lvania  and  the 
latter    in  Ohio.     The   elder   Skiles   followed 


VIRGINIA-CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


219 


farming,  and  died  in  Ohio.  Our  subject  left 
home  when  a  small  boy,  and  came  to  Indiana, 
where  he  lived  with  a  man  named  Kirkpat- 
rick,  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  receiv- 
ing as  compensation,  when  he  became  of  age,  a 
good  suit  of  clothes,  a  pony,  and  forty  dollars 
in  money.  With  this  he  came  to  Cass 
County,  Ills.,  in  1848,  and  commenced  the 
battle  of  life  on  his  own  account.  He  was  a 
man  of  but  little  education;  leaving  home 
early  in  life,  as  he  did,  deprived  him  of  op- 
portunities to  attend  school,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  make  his  way  with  what  little 
knowledge  he  could  pick  up  at  odd  times. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  Cass  County  he  began 
farming  and  stock-dealing,  a  business  he  fol- 
lowed successfully,  becoming  one  of  the 
largest  stock-dealers  in  the  county,  and  amass- 
ina:  considerable  wealth.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  ho  was  the  largest  stockholder  in  the 
banking  house  of  Petefish,  Skiles  &  Co.,  a 
bank  wliich  is  still  in  existence.  He  married 
Mary  .1.  Thompson,  in  1853,  a  daughter  of 
Oswell  and  Elizabeth  (Henderson)  Thomp- 
son, natives  of  Ohio,  but  who  came  to  Cass 
County  in  an  early  day;  he  was  a  farmer, 
and  died  in  1864,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years; 
his  wife  is  now  living  in  the  City  of  Virginia, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Protestant  Methodist  Church. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  the  Mormon  war 
at  Nauvoo,  Ills.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Skiles  had 
five  children  born  to  them,  three  of  whom  are 
living,  viz.:  Ressie  A.,  wife  of  Wm.  T. 
Mitchell;  Hattie  L.,  and  Jessie  E.;  two  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Skiles  died  in  1873,  and  his 
widow  afterward  married  Mr.  Joseph  F. 
Black,  whose  sketch  appears  in  another  page 
of  this  work. 

I.  M.  STRIBLING,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Vir- 
ginia ;  was  one  of  the  oldest  citizens  and 
foremost  agriculturists  of  Cass  County ;  is 
a  native  of  Logan  County,  Ky.,  and  was 
born  January  13,  1831.     His  parents,  Benja- 


min and  Nancy  (Washburn)  Stribling,  emi- 
grated from  Logan  County  to  Morgan  County, 
111.,  in  the  fall  of  1837,  and  located  near  Lit- 
erberry.  Benjamin  Stribling  was  a  native 
of  old  Stafford  County,  Va.,  and  was  born 
Feb.  11,  1797,  and  his  parents  moved  from 
there  to  Kentucky  about  the  year  1803.  He 
remained  in  Morgan  County  until  1830,  when 
he  removed  to  near  the  present  location  of  the 
City  of  Virginia,  and  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  2.5,  1880,  he  was  a  permanent 
citizen  of  Cass  County.  He  was  a  man  of  his 
day  ;  always  identified  himself  with  every 
movement  set  on  foot  for  the  advancement  of 
education  and  the  rights  or  the  interests  of  his 
State  and  county,  or  the  public  good.  He  will 
long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  stalwart 
pioneers  of  Cass  County.  Isaac  M.  is  the  second 
of  a  family  of  three  sons;  besides  our  subject, 
his  brother,  B.  Franklin,  jr.,  now  deceased,  lo- 
cated in  Cass  County,  and  his  younger  brother, 
Thomas,  lives  in  Iowa.  He  resided  with  his 
parents  until  of  age.  Sept.  13, 1842,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Margaret  Beggs,  whose  parents, 
Charles  and  Mary  (Rudell)  Beggs,  were  also 
early  settlers  on  Jersey  Prairie.  By  this 
union  they  had  five  children,  two  sons  and 
three  daughters.  At  the  time  of  their  mar- 
riage Mr.  Stribling's  father  made  him  sole 
owner  of  about  two  hundred  acres  of  land. 
This  property  he  set  about  improving.  He 
also  engaged  in  stock  dealing  in  a  small  way, 
and  very  successfully,  and  this  business  grew  in 
proportion  until  he  became  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive feeders  and  dealers  in  his  county,  rais- 
ing all  the  produce  required  in  his  extensive 
business,  and  also  a  large  quantity  for  the 
market.  On  Sept.  26,  1856,  Mr.  Stribling 
was  made  to  mourn  the  loss  of  a  faithful  and 
devoted  wife,  and  his  family  a  loving  mother. 
CHARLES  W.  SAVAGE,  Virginia;  was 
born  .Ian.  12,  1853,  at  the  Savage  homestead, 
in  Virginia  Precinct,  Cass  Co.  His  father, 
Henry  S.  Savage,  was  a  native  of   Morgan 


220 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


County,  and  was  born  April  2..',  1821,  in  Jaclv- 
soMville  Precinct,  and  his  fatlier,  Jolni  Savage, 
was  one  of  the  first  pioneers  of  Morgan,  having 
come  to  the  county  in  1823,  where  he  became 
a  successful  farmer,  an  occupation  that  he 
followed  during  his  life.  He  was  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  married  Miss  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Guy  Smith,  Esq.  John  Savage 
was  son  of  James  Savage,  who  was  an  Irish- 
man, and  came  to  America  during  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution  as  a  British  soldier,  fought 
under  Burgoyne,  and  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  American  troops  at  Ticonderoga.  He  was 
paroled,  and  upon  becoming  convinced  of  the 
injustice  of  the  war  against  the  Americans,  he 
fought  on  the  American  side.  Henry  S.  Sav- 
age was  the  fourth  child,  and  third  son  of  John 
Savage,  and  was  born  April  22,  1824,  at  Dia- 
mond Grove,  three  miles  southwest  of  Jackson- 
ville. He  married  Miss  Sarah  F.  Ward,  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  Ward,  deceased.  Mr.  Savage  was 
a  thrifty  farmer,  and  one  of  the  most  energetic 
and  enterprising  business  men  of  his  day  in 
Cass  County.  He  met  death  by  injuries  re- 
ceived from  an  unmanagealjle  colt,  March  39, 
1865.  He  left  a  family  of  four  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Three  sons,  our  subject,  C.  W.,  Ed- 
ward E.,  and  Louis  L.,  are  residents  of  Cass 
County.  Ella  B.  and  Henry  S.  are  living  with 
their  mother,  in  Jacksonville.  Mr.  Savag-e  left 
a  valuable  estate.  Charles  W.  received  his 
schooling  first  in  Cass  County,  and  later,  in  the 
Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville.  He  entered 
farming  on  the  homestead  in  Virginia  Precinct, 
in  1879.  In  1881,  he  entered  the  lumber  and 
grain  business,  in  company  with  J.  B.  Steven- 
son. He  was  married  on  Jan.  6,  1875,  to  Miss 
Kitty  Kelly,  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  daughter  of 
Moses  Kelly,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  for 
twenty-five  years  a  resident  of  that  place,  and 
is  now  retired.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Savage  have 
three  daughters,  viz.:  Anna  L.,  Bertha  M.,  and 
ILittie  L.  Mr.  Savage  is  a  member  of  the  I. 
O.  O.  F.,  and  the  A.  0.  U.  W.,  of  Virginia. 


J.  B.  STEVENSON,  grain  and  lumber 
merchant,  Virginia,  Cass  Co.;  was  born 
July  11,  1847,  at  Little  Indian,  Princeton 
Precinct.  He  is  the  sixth  of  the  family  of 
William  and  Francos  (Berry)  Stevenson,  of 
whom  a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
work.  Joseph  B.,  after  attending  the  schools 
of  his  district,  took  a  course  of  study  at  the 
then  Cumberland  Presbyterian  College  at 
Virginia.  He  married,  April  17,  1870, 
Miss  Dora  Vandemeter,  daughter  of  Fenton- 
ville  Vandemeter,  then  a  farmer  of  Cass 
County,  now  a  resident  of  Springfield.  Mrs. 
Stevenson  was  born  April  11,  1849,  in  Cass 
County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vandemeter  are  both 
natives  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illinois  at 
an  early  date.  They  raised  a  family  of  ten 
children,  and  Mrs.  S.  was  the  seventh  child. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevenson  have  one  child, 
Mary  F.  Mr.  S.  has  been  associated  in  busi- 
ness with  Mr.  C.  W.  Savage,  since  the  fall  of 
1880,  and  is  also  a  partner  with  his  father  in 
the  grain  trade,  at  Little  Indian. 

ADOLPH  H.  SIELSCHOTT,  sheriff  elect, 
of  Cass  County,  was  born  in  the  Kingdom  of 
Hanover,  on  June  3,  1835.  In  1854  he  came 
to  this  country.  He  first  did  farm  labor  for 
about  two  years  in  the  vicinity  of  Beards- 
town,  after  which  he  learned  the  carpenter 
trade.  He  followed  his  trade  until  1862, 
when  he  engaged  in  merchandising  until 
1870.  In  1868,  he,  in  company  with  Robert 
Schmoldt,  purchased  a  saw  mill,  located  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  City  of  Beardstown, 
which  business  the  firm  conducted  with  suc- 
cess until  1875.  In  the  year  1876,  Mr, 
Sielschott  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Sheriff 
of  Cass  County,  and  has  acceptably  filled  this 
responsible  office  si  [ice  that  time.  During 
the  years  1871  to  1874,  Mr.  Seilschott  filled 
the  office  of  Mayor  of  Beardstown,  with  the 
entire  api)roval  of  the  citizens  of  that  pros- 
perous and  enterprising  ciiy.  In  1862,  Mr. 
Sielschott  married  Miss  Ellen  Peeper,  a  native 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


2L'l 


of  Hanover,  who  emigrated  to  this  country 
with  her  parents  when  quite  young.  They 
have  three  children:  Adolph  F.,  Alice  A., 
and  Martha  M. 

EDWARD  \V.  TURNER,  deceased.  Ed- 
ward W.  Turner  was  a  native  of  Bourbon 
County,  Ky. — a  wagon  maker  by  trade, 
which  business  he  followed  for  many  years 
of  his  early  manhood.  His  father  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Kentucky.  Our  sub- 
ject left  his  native  State,  came  to  Illinois  in 
1825,  and  became  one  of  the  prosperous  pio- 
neers of  Cass  County.  He  was  energetic, 
thrifty,  and  public-spirited.  He  represented 
his  county  in  the  State  Legislature  of  1840  and 
1848.  He  made  farming  his  business  after 
coming  to  Illinois,  but  erected  and  run  a  wag- 
on shop  for  a  time  upon  his  farm,  near  Virginia, 
soon  after  locating.  He  married  in  Fayette 
County,  Ky.,  Miss  America  Morrow.  Her 
father's  farm  joined  the  Ashland  home  of  the 
lamented  Henry  Clay,  near  Lexington.  They 
raised  a  family  of  eight  children,  all  living  to 
mature  years  but  one,  Thomas  B.  Sarah,  the 
oldest,  is  now  deceased;  lived  to  marry  W. 
W.  Ward,  a  farmer  of  Cass  County;  Elizabeth 
J.,  is  now  Mrs.  B.  G.  Troutman,  of  Cass  Coun- 
ty; James  E.  is  a  merchant  of  Virginia;  John 
"W.,  a  farmer  of  Oregon  Precinct;  William 
A.,  a  farmer  in  Kansas;  David  S.,  R.  R.  Ex- 
press Messenger;  Henry  H.,  Express  Agent, 
Virginia;  and  Charles  is  out  of  business. 
James  E.  was  born  Dec.  13,  1843,  and  has  for 
several  years  been  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  Virginia,  and  is  at  presont;  has 
one  of  the  most  extensive  furniture  stores  in 
Cass  County.  He  married,  Feb.  35,  1803, 
Miss  Henrietta  Conover,  daughter  of  John 
Conover,  of  whom  see  extended  mention  else- 
where in  this  volume.  They  have  live  chil- 
dren: Anna  L.,  Linna  M.,  Katie,  James  A., 
and  Fred.  They  are  both  members  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  Mr.  Turner  is  member 
of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  I.  O.  M.  A.     William 


A.,  a  farmer  in  Kansas,  furnishes  us  the  follow- 
ing data:  He  was  born  1845,  in  the  month  of 
August,  on  the  Turner  homestead,  in  Cass 
County.  He  commenced  business  as  a  farmer 
in  Princeton  Precinct,  and  later,  farmed  at 
Walnut  Grove.  He  built  and  run  the  only 
|ilaining  mill  ever  run  in  Virginia,  in  1871). 
The  venture  was  not  a  success,  however,  and  he 
closed  out  the  business  and  returned  to  farm- 
ing on  the  old  Downing  farm,  which  he 
sold  and  went  to  Wichita,  Kansas,  in  1870. 
He  married  March  6,  1806,  Mira  Berry, 
daughter  of  William  M.  Berry,  a  farmer  of 
Morgan  County.  They  have  three  children, 
Nellie,  Nina,  and  David.  H.  H.  Turner,  the 
sixth  son,  was  born  Nov.  23,  1850,  in  Cass 
County.  He  attended  the  Kentucky  Univer- 
sity at  Lexington,  during  1868-9,  and  after- 
ward engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business  in 
Virginia,  and  later,  the  grocery  trade,  having 
at  times  been  associated  with  W.  W.  Early, 
Bowman  Craft,  and  M.  J.  Oliver.  He  al)nn- 
doned  the  mercantile  business  in  1874,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  acting  as  agent  for 
the  American  and  United  States  Express  Com- 
panies, and  also  engaged  in  insurance  busi- 
ness. He  married  Dec.  3,  1871,  Miss  Alice 
R.  Buckley,  daughter  of  Mark  Buckley,  a 
pioneer  of  Cass  County.  They  have  three 
children:  Olive,  Coral,  and  Ralph.  Mr.  Tur- 
ner is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Saxon 
Lodge,  No.  68. 

H.  C.  THOMPSON  was  born  Aug.  6, 1848, 
in  Virginia,  Cass  County,  and  is  the  third  son 
of  N.  B.  Thompson,  now  of  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
and  for  many  years  one  of  the  foremost  and 
successful  business  men  of  Cass  County.  He 
first  came  to  Virginia  as  Clerk  and  Recorder  of 
Cass  County,  upon  the  first  removal  of  the 
county  seat  from  Beardstown,  and  was  the 
first  Clerk  of  the  county,  receiving  his 
appointment  from  Judge  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  the 
first  County  Judge.  He  commenced  mer- 
chandising in  Virginia  and  continued  until 


222 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


the  year  1867,  when  he  removed  to  St. 
Louis,  where  he  lives  in  retirement.  He 
was  married  March  30,  1837,  to  Miss  Louise 
Dutch,  daughter  of  Israel  J.  Dutch,  of  Mor- 
gan County.  He  was  a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts; married  Miss  Caroline  C.  Thorington,  of 
New  York  City.  He  is  of  French  descent, 
and  Mrs.  Dutch  of  English.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  have  raised  a  large  family,  all  of 
whom  are  still  living  in  independence,  being 
successful  in  their  several  undertakings,  and, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  following,  are 
filling  honorable  positions,  both  of  a  business 
and  professional  nature.  Louise  A.,  wife  of 
Abrara  Bergen,  a  prosperous  lawyer,  of  the 
State  of  Kansas;  Josephine  married  John 
Anderson,  a  farmer  of  Saint  Clair  County,  of 
this  State;  Eliza,  wife  of  Mr.  G.  Polland,  an 
able  attorney  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  the  Hon- 
orable W.  B.  Thompson  is  also  an  attorney 
of  Saint  Louis,  Mo.,  and  represented  the 
Twenty-eighth  Senatorial  district  of  that 
State  in  the  Forty-sixth  General  Assembly;  L. 
C  Thompson  is  a  merchant  of  Mount  Vernon, 
Jefferson  County,  111.;  Harry  C,  our  subject, 
is  a  thrifty  farmer  and  a  stock-dealer,  of  Cass 
County;  he  married  Miss  Lila  Hall,  daughter 
of  Robert  Hall,  one  of  the  wealthiest  and 
extensive  agriculturists  of  Cass  County,  of 
whom  see  sketch  in  another  chapter  of  this 
work;  Harry  C.  is  an  enterprising,  public 
spirited  and  go-ahead  man  of  business,  and 
quick  to  see  the  business  bent  of  a  transac- 
tion. Mr.  Thompson  is  the  oldest  of  his  fa- 
ther's family,  and  was  born  Oct.  14,  1861; 
Mary,  wife  of  Mr.  J.  A.  .lohnston,  head  sales. 
man  for  Mermod,  Jaccard  &  Co.,  No.  4  Locust 
St.,  St.  Louis;  Frank  P.  is  a  resident  of  Cass 
County,  Mo.;  George  D.  is  a  physician  and 
surgeon  at  the  Marine  Hospital,  St.  Louis; 
and  Ella  B.  is  at  home  with  her  parents,  in  St. 
Louis.  The  Thompson  property  interests  in 
Cass  County  and  Virginia  are  large,  and 
as  yet  have  not  l)een  divided. 


THOMAS  WILSON,  of  Virginia,  was 
born  April  15,  1816,  in  Lancashire,  England. 
His  father,  David  Wilson,  raised  a  family  of 
ten  children,  and  Thomas  was  the  second 
youngest  of  the  family.  He  married  Mar- 
garet Coates,  before  he  left  his  native  land,  in 
the  year  1837,  and  in  1841  they  emigrated  to 
the  New  World,  in  company  with  two  sisters, 
Hannah  and  Sarah.  Mrs.  Wilson,  also  a  na- 
tive of  England,  was  born  about  July  18, 
1817,  and  lived  until  Oct.  18,  1880,  being 
sixty-three  years  of  age,  at  the  time  of  her 
death.  She  left  six  sons  and  one  daughter  to 
mourn  her  loss:  James,  born  Dec.  19,  1839; 
David,  born  Aug.  2,  1842;  Joseph,  born  May 
3,  1844;  Sarah  J.  (deceased),  born  Aug.  24, 
1846,  died  Nov.  3,  1865,  at  nineteen  years  of 
.ge;  William  R.,  born  April  18,  1849;  John 
T.,  born  Julv  3,  1851;  Charles,  born  Aug.  13, 
1853;  and  Mary  E.,  born  May  20,  1857.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  first  settled  near  the 
Sangamon  Bottoms,  about  seven  miles  north- 
west of  Virginia,  in  Virginia  Precinct,  and 
farmed  with  success  until  1861,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Virginia  and  retired.  He  has  in- 
vested a  liberal  capital  in  city  real  estate,  and 
is  one  of  the  public  spirited  and  substantial 
citizens  of  the  town,  and  a  member  of  the 
Cumb  rl.ind  Presbyterian  Church.  Of  his 
iamily,  Joseph,  John,  Charles,  and  the  only 
living  daughter,  Mary  (who  is  at  home),  live 
in  Cass  County;  David  is  in  Kansas;  James 
is  in  Missouri;  William  is  in  Menard  County, 
tliis  State.  They  are  all  farmers  but  Joseph, 
who  is  a  tinner  by  trade;  he  has  for  several 
years  been  a  successful  merchant  in  Virginia, 
in  company  at  different  times  with  D.  N.Walk- 
er, and  A.  G.  Angier.  He  received  his  school- 
inn-  at  Sugar  Grove,  Cass  Co.,  and  learned  his 
trade  at  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  has  been 
a  successful  business  man,  and  has  some  of 
his  present  means  invested  in  Cass  County 
farming  lands.  May  26,  1872,  he  married 
Miss  Nancy  R.  Berry,  daughter  of  James  and 


VIRGINIA— CITY  AND  PUECIXCT. 


Sinah  (Roe)  Berry,  deceased,  formerly  of  Vir- 
ginia Precinct.  They  have  three  children, 
viz.:  Anna  L.,  Frank  H.,  and  Alice.  Jlr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson  are  both  members  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  a 
Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W., 
and  1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  Secretary  of  the  Virgin- 
ia Lodge. 

D.  N.  WALKER,  Police  Magistrate  of  the 
city  of  Virginia,  was  born  in  Fauquier  County, 
State  of  Virginia.  His  father,  Solomon 
Walker,  is  also  a  Virginian  by  birth,  and  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  He  married  Miss  Em- 
m;i  Wilkins,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Wilkins,  a  Virginia  farmer. 
Mr.  Walker  (our  subject)  is  the  third  son  of  a 
family  of  seven  sons  and  two  daughters,  and 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  State,  and  was  Ijrought  up  a  farmer, 
lie  came  to  Illinois  with  his  father's  family 
in  1855,  and  in  18(50  commenced  farminuf  in 
Hickory  Precinct,  Cass  County.  He  spent 
the  years  of  186"^-3  and  a  part  of  ;804,  in  the 
mining  fields  of  Oregon  and  Idaho,  and  then 
returned  to  Cass  County.  In  18G6  he  took 
up  his  residence  in  Virginia,  and  followed 
contracting  and  building  until  18G8,  when  he 
entered  the  tin  and  hardware  business.  He 
continued  in  this  business,  in  company  with 
Angier,  and  later,  with  Joseph  Wilson,  until 
1873,  since  which  time  he  has  occupied  the 
position  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Walker  was 
elected  Mayor  of  Virginia  in  1876,  hut  re- 
signed after  having  served  a  part  of  his  term. 
He  married  Nov.  21,  1861,  Miss  Elizabeth 
Adam^,  a  native  of  Macoupin  County,  111. 
She  died  JIarch  3,  1873,  leaving  one  son, 
John  L.,  and  a  daughter,  Mary  E.  Mr.  Walker 
again  married  in  January,  1876,  Miss  Martha 
E.  Clark,  of  Schuyler  County,  and  many  years 
a  resident  of  Cas.s.  In  politics,  Mr.  Walker  is  a 
D'^mocrat.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  of  Virginia. 

JOHN  N.  WILSON,  the  present  efficient 


postmaster  of  Virginia  City,  was  born  in 
Licking  County,  O.,  June  1,  1833.  George 
Wilson  (deceased),  his  father,  was  a  native  of 
the  Old  Dominion  State;  was  born  Oct.  30, 
1795,  and  by  occupation  was  a  farmer;  lie 
removed  from  his  native  State  to  Ohio  about 
the  year  1805,  and  thence  to  Virginia  Pre- 
cinct, Cass  Co.,  and  entered  farming  in 
1842,  and  there  died  in  1873.  He  married 
Jliss  Jane  B.  Moore,  a  native  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, in  the  year  1819.  They  had  nine  chil- 
dren— four  sons  and  five  daughters;  John,  our 
subject,  was  the  si.Kth  born,  and  was  about 
ten  years  of  age  v;hen  his  parents  came  to 
Cass  County.  He  received  his  schooling  in 
Virginia  public  schools,  and  entered  a  dry 
goods  store  and  post-office  as  a  clerk,  in  1856, 
at  twenty-four  years  of  age,  for  S.  W.  Nealy. 
He  continued  with  Mr.  Nealy  for  about  six 
months,  after  which  he  entered  the  drug  bus- 
iness for  about  two  years.  He  served  as  the 
Virginia  agent  for  the  Wab  ish  Railroad 
Company  two  years,  and  in  1867  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  of  Virginia,  by  Andrevv 
Johnson,  and  has  continuously  held  the  posi- 
tion with  entire  satisfaction  to  the  public  up 
to  the  present  time.  In  1873,  Mr.  Wilson 
opened  in  the  same  room  with  the  post-office, 
a  full  and  complete  stock  of  books,  stationery, 
wall  paper,  news,  notions,  etc.,  and  takes  the 
lead    in    his    line    of  trade  in  the  city.     Oct. 

7,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Rachae'.  M.  Berry, 
daughter  of  Thomas  S.  and  America  Berry, 
and  a  native  of  Cass  County.     She  di  d  Oct. 

8,  1873,  leaving  three  chi  dren:  Kate,  .lessio 
and  Ella,  who  died  at  eight  months  of 
age.  He  again  married,  January  20,  1861, 
Miss  Mary  F.  Walker,  of  Virginia,  C.-iss 
Co.,  and  a  native  of  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia. She  died  January  11,  1877.  Asa  third 
wife,  he  took  Miss  L.  H.  Ainsworth,  Feb.  8, 
1878;  she  is  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Ainsworth,  deceased.  Mr. 
Wilson  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.     His  fa- 


224 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


ther,  Georgf,  was  a  son  of  Archibald,  who 
was  one  -of  the  first  pioneers  of  the  Buckeye 
State,  and  his  father,  also  Archibald,  came 
West  to  fight  the  Indians,  about  1760.  Our 
subject  was  the    first   City  Treasurer   of  the 


City  of  Virginia,  and  has  twice  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Council.  He  is  a  Republic- 
an, a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
aad  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  Virginia  Lodge. 


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BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


BEARDSTOWN-CITY    AND    PRECINCT. 


JUDGE  JOHN  A.  ARENZ,  Beardstown ; 
was  born  Oct.  ::iS,  ISIO,  in  lJlaiikoiil)eriv, 
Province  of  tlie  Rhine,  Prussia.  After  hav- 
ing received  a  good  school  education,  he  was 
sent  to  an  institute,  where  he  received  in- 
struction in  languages,  drawing,  engineering, 
surveying  and  music.  Then  he  was  employed 
for  a  year  in  a  corps  of  surveyors,  working  for 
the  government.  He  then  entered  as  a  stu- 
dent in  a  college,  and  for  two  years  in  the 
seminary  at  Bruhl,  near  Cologne.  After  hav- 
ing passed  his  examination,  he  received  an 
appointment  as  teacher,  and  after  having 
served  in  that  capacity  one  year,  was  promoted 
to  the  office  of  principal,  with  three  assistants. 
He  held  that  position  until  1835,  when  he  re- 
signed, and  came  to  the  United  States,  at  the 
solicitation  of  his  brother  Francis,  with  whom 
he  resided  for  several  years.  In  1836  he  was 
employed  as  assistant  engineer  in  the  survey 
of  a  canal.  For  the  purpose  of  perfecting 
himself  in  the  English  language  and  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  mercantile  business,  he  entered 
a  store  at  Springfield,  where  he  remained 
until  1838,  when  his  brother  took  him  as  a 
partner  in  his  business.  In  1844,  he  became 
the  editor  of  a  campaign  paper,  advocating 
the  election  of  Henry  Clay  for  the  presidency, 
])ublished  at  Springfield  in  the  German 
language.  He  has  been  engaged  in  various 
business  enterprises,  and  held  many  different 
offices.  His  first  commission  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  is  dated  Aug.  21,  1843;  his  first  com- 
mission as  Notary  Public,  is  dated  May  1, 1850, 
which  office  he  held  ever  since.  He  was  the 
first  Mayor  of  the  Cit>'  of  Beardstown,  in  1850. 
He  was  twice  elected  to  the  office  of  County 
Judge,  was  admitted,  to  the  bar  March  13, 
18(55;  he  also  holds  a  diploma  from  the  Ger- 


man National  Society  for  Trade  and  Industry, 
dateil  Feb.  2'2,  1850,  at  Leipzig.  Hi;  never 
followed  the  practice  of  law  before  the  courts; 
but  he  has  settled  up  more  estates,  and  of 
more  value,  than  any  man  in  Cass  Countv. 
In  the  memorable  county  seat  contest,  in  18G7, 
between  Beardstown  and  Virginia,  be  was  the 
Justice  chosen  by  Beardstown,  and  selected 
by  the  two  other  justices,  as  presiding  officer. 
The  citizens  of  Beardstown  were  so  well  satis- 
fied with  his  services,  that  when  the  decision 
had  been  made,  they  serenaded  him.  He  has 
retired  from  all  active  business  affairs,  to 
settle  up  his  own  matters.  He  married  in 
1849,  Miss  Mary  L.  Miller,  who  is  yet  living, 
and  the  mother  of  two  daughters,  one  of  whom 
is  the  wife  of  Philip  Kuhl,  in  Beardstown,  and 
the  other  the  wife  of  S.  O.  Spring,  in  Peoria. 
FRANK  J.  ARENZ,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  near  Arenzville,  this 
county,  April  8,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Francis 
and  Louisa  (Boss)  Arenz.  Francis  i\renz,  a 
politician  of  some  note,  and  by  occupation  a 
merchant,  miller  and  farmer,  died  in  Morgan 
County;  his  wife  died  in  Arenzville,  this 
county.  They  had  ten  children,  five  sons 
and  five  daughters,  of  whom  one  son  and  one 
daughter  are  deceased.  Mr.  Arenz  received 
his  primary  education  in  Arenzville,  after- 
ward attending  the  Illinois  College,  .lackson- 
ville,  III.,  for  two  years,  and  the  Business 
College  at  Rockford,  III.,  for  one  year.  He 
then  engaged  in  farming,  in  this  county,where 
he  has  since  pursued  that  occupation.  In 
Arenzville,  Feb.  31,  1860,  he  married  Caroline 
B.  Cire,  who  was  born  there,  Feb.  4,  1839,  and 
who  has  borne  him  live  children:  Katie 
L.,  Ada,  Et  a  J.,  Frank  C,  and  Lena. 
Mrs.    Arenz    is    a    daughter    of  John    L.  and 


22S 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Catherina  (Hamm)  Cire;  he  a  native  of  Kur- 
hessen,  Prussia,  was  horn  May  4,  ISOO;  she 
also  a  native  of  Prussia.  Mr.  Arenz  has  been 
Deputy  Assessor  and  School  Director  for  two 
years.     He  is  a  Republican. 

ERNST  ARNOLDI,  farmer,  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs;  was  born  in  Nassau,  Germany,  Sept. 
13,  1823;  son  of  Gustave  and  Margaret  (En- 
dris)  Arnoldi.  Gustave  Arnoldi,  who  was  an 
Inspector  of  Forests,  died  in  Germany,  in 
1834;  his  wife  also  died  in  Germany,  in  1872; 
they  had  seven  children.  Our  subject 
attended  school  for  seven  years  in  Germany, 
where  he  began  life  as  a  farmer,  which  occu- 
pation he  has  pursued  since  he  came  to  this 
country.  In  this  countv,  March  7,  1850,  he 
married  Amelia  Winhold,  a  native  of  Gi-r- 
many,  born  April  13,  1833,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Barbara  Winhold;  from  this  mar- 
riage six  children  have  been  born:  Bertha, 
Ferdinand  (deceased),  Gustave,  Jennie,  Ella, 
and  an  infant  (deceased).  Mr.  Arnoldi  is  a 
member  of  the  Lutheran  Church;  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

MENDALL  AARON,  merchant.  Beards- 
town;  was  born  in  Prussia  about  the  year  1834, 
and  early  learned  the  butcher's  trade  with  his 
father,  who  kept  a  meat  market.  In  the  fall 
of  1862,  he  emigrated  to  this  country;  worked 
at  his  trade  in  New  York  City,  three  months; 
then  in  St.  Louis,  about  a  month,  and  then 
traveled  on  foot  with  a  pack  of  dry  goods  and 
notions,  for  about  six  months.  After  some 
time  he  procured  a  horse  and  wagon,  for  a 
very  small  sum,  and  traveled  about  three 
months,  selling  goods.  In  1804,  he  opened  a 
store  at  Kampsville,  a  little  village  in  Calhoun 
County,  Ills.,  invested  about  $1,200  in  goods, 
and  carried  on  business  there  for  nine  years. 
He  then  sold  out,  and  moved  to  La  Grange, 
Mo.,  where  he  invested  $9,000  in  a  rolling- 
mill,  but  unfortunately  lost  his  investment; 
he  engaged  in  mercantile  business  for  four 
years,  in  La   Grange,  then  moved  to    Hardin, 


Calhoun  County,  111.,  rented  a  store  a  short 
time,  then  built  a  substantial  store  and  dwell- 
ing,  and  carried  on  mercantile  business,  and 
dealt  in  land  there  for  seven  years.  He  then 
sold  out  his  town  property  and  part  of  his 
farming  land,  and  Sept.  21,  1881,  came  to 
Beardstown,  and  opened  a  general  store  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  JeiFerson  streets,  where  he 
has  since  done  a  good  trade,  employing  two 
assistants.  He  married  Oct.  8, 1862,  Florence 
Driesen,  a  native  of  Prussia. 

J.  BAUJAN  &  CO.,  Home  Mills,  Beards- 
town;  .lohn  Baujan,  was  born  in  Prussia, 
April  G,  1820,  where  he  learned  the  brick- 
mason  trade,  beginning  his  apprenticeship  at 
the  age  of  eighteen,  and  serving  four  years. 
Ho  followed  his  trade  in  Europe  until  1849, 
when  he  came  to  this  country,  landing  in 
Now  Orleans;  thence  came  to  St.  Louis,  Mc., 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  year. 
From  St.  Louis  he  came,  in  1850,  to  Arenz- 
ville,  this  county,  where  he  pursued  his  trade 
seven  ye  irs;  then  came  to  Baardstown,  start- 
ed a  brick-yard,  and  followed  brick  laying 
and  brick  making,  building  many  houses  in 
this  county.  He  built  the  saw  mill  now  owa- 
ed  by  H.  C.  Meyer,  and  run  it  for  five  years. 
In  1876,  in  company  with  John  Schultz  he 
built  the  present  Home  Mills,  of  which  he  has 
since  been  part  owner.  In  April,  1852,  he 
married  Catharine  Yeck,  of  this  county,  a 
native  of  Wurtemberg,  Germany;  they  have 
seven  children  living,  five  sons  and  two 
daughters.  .lolrn  Schultz,  junior  partner  in 
this  firm,  was  born  in  Ottersheim,  Bavaria, 
June  1,  1849,  and  at  the  aire  of  fourteen 
years,  apprenticed  to  the  carriage  making 
trade,  working  at  the  wood  work  branch  of 
that  business  in  his  native  State  or  four  years. 
In  1867  he  came  to  this  country  and  located 
at  Beardstown,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
two  years;  afterward  carried  on  a  wagon  mak- 
ing and  repairing  shop  at  Rushville,  Hi.,  two 
years,  then  returned  to  Beardstown,  where  ho 


BEAKDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


225> 


engaged  in  mercantile  business  about  three 
years.  In  1875,  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Scheber,  Schultz  &  Gemming,  which 
began  building  the  present  Home  Mills  on 
the  site  of  the  old  City  Mills;  before  the  com- 
pletion of  tiie  mills,  however,  the;  firm  chang- 
ed to  J.  Baujari  (Jt  Co.,  who  have  since  ope- 
rated them,  doing  a  merchant  and  exchange 
business.  The  mills  are  run  by  a  fifty-horse 
power  engine;  have  six  run  of  stones,  and 
three  sets  of  rollers,  having  a  capacity  of  100 
barrels  a  day,  and  employ  from  twelve  to 
sixteen  men.  They  manufacture  four  brands 
of  flour:  "  Fancy  Patent,"  "  Viola,"  "  Crown 
Jewel,"  and  "XXX,"  which  find  a  ready 
market.  The  building  is  a  three  story  frame, 
5i)x40  feet,  with  engine  room  21x30  feet. 

JOHN  J.  BEATTY,  hardware  merchant 
and  present  Mayor,  Beardstown;  was  born  in 
Franklin  County,  Pa.,  Oct.  22,  1846,  and 
came  West  in  1855,  with  Jacob  Rearick,  who 
raised  him,  his  parents  having  died  when  he 
was  an  infant.  After  coming  to  this  section, 
he  learned  the  trade  of  tinsmith,  and  in  1866 
he  went  to  Marion  County,  Mo.,  and  worked 
at  his  trade,  at  Hannibal,  Palmyra  and  Can- 
ton; also  in  Quincy.  In  1874  he  returned  to 
Beardstown,  and  entered  the  old  firm,  buj'ing 
a  half  interest  therein,  the  style  of  which  has 
since  been  Rearick  &  Beatty.  They  orig- 
inally dealt  only  in  stoves  and  tinware,  but, 
about  1877,  they  added  hardware  and  agri- 
cultural implements.  Mr.  Beatty  was  elected 
Mayor  in  1881,  and  re-elected  in  1882,  and 
takes  considerable  interest  in  politics.  He 
was  married  in  Missouri,  in  1873,  to  Miss 
Mary  F.  Pickering,  of  Canton,  that  State. 
Thev  have  two  sons  living. 

DR.  GEORGE  BLEY,  Jr.,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  July  14,  1851; 
eldest  son  of  a  family  of  three  sons,  and  three 
daughters,  born  to  Dr.  George  and  Elizabeth 
(Lavis)  Blej'.  Dr.  Giiorge  Bley,  Sr.,  was 
born  in  Wurtembcrg,  Germany,  came  to  the 


United  States  in  1831,  being  then  about 
eleven  years  old,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.;  his  wif^;  is  a  native  of  that  city,  her 
father  being  for  many  years  foreman  of  the 
Philadelphia  Licxhjir.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  removeil  in  1855,  witii  his  parents-,  to 
Scott  County,  Iowh,  thence  in  1858,  to  Rock 
Island,  111.,  remaining  there  one  year,  and, 
after  residing  one  year  in  Monroe  County, 
111.,  settled  in  Staunton,  Macoupin  County, 
111.,  in  18(31,  where  he  received  both  a  good 
English  and  German  education.  At  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  entered  his  father's  drug  store 
in  Staunton,  111.,  remaining  there  till  1873, 
when  he  moved  to  Bethalto,  111.,  and  opened 
a  drug  store  there  on  his  own  account,  con- 
ducting business  there  until  1879,  when  he 
sold  out  and  began  the  study  of  medicine 
with  his  father.  In  September,  1879,  he  en- 
tered the  .lefiferson  Medical  College,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  from  which  he  graduated  March 
12,  1881;  came  to  Beardstown  in  May,  that 
3'ear,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion, and  now  enjoys  a  large  practice.  In 
1872,  he  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Green 
B.  Hill,  of  Christian  County,  111. 

JAMES  BUCK,  gardner  and  farmer,  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Newark,  Licking 
County,  O.,  July  3, 1817.  He  followed  farming 
in  his  native  State  till  1839,  when  he  married 
Susan  Daugherdy,  and  in  the  spring  of  the 
same  year  settled  at  Bluff  Springs,  in  this  coun- 
ty, where  he  first  entered  forty  acres,  where  the 
Poor  Farm  now  is.  He  farmed  there  until 
1855,  raising  grain,  hogs  and  sheep,  and  ac- 
cumulated a  good  property.  He  was  super- 
intendent of  the  county  farm  from  1851  to 
1855.  In  the  latter  year  he  moved  to  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  in  the  San- 
gainon  bottoms,  where  he  remained  a  year, 
then  came  to  Beardstown,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  five  years  (1873-78),  during  which 
he  farmed  in  Atchison  County,  Mo.,  has  lived 


•230 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


in  the  vicinity  of  Beardstovvn  ever  since.  He 
has  owned  a  larg-o  number  of  farms,  and  is  at 
present  engaged  in  raising  vegetables  and 
small  fruiis,  at  Ravenswood.  His  wife  died  in 
1878.  They  had  eigl.t  children:  Eliza  J., 
Mrs.  John  Nicholson,  of  Beardstown;  Mary 
F.,  Mrs.  William  Heminghouse,  of  Pekin,  III.; 
Julia  A.,  Mrs.  George  S.  Kuhl;  Harvey,  died 
aged  two  years;  John  H.,  of  Beardstown; 
Edgar  .1.,  engineer  on  the  Chicago,  Burling- 
ton and  Quiucy  Railroad;  Louisa,  died  aged 
twenty-three  years,  and  Samuel  O.,  of  Beards- 
town. Mr.  Buck  is  a  Republican.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1876,  James  and  .lohn  H.  Buck  bought 
of  F.  A.  Hammer,  their  present  stables,  on 
Main  street,  Beardstown,  whore  they  conduct 
a  livery  and  feed  business,  and  also  an  agency 
for  the  sale  of  buggies  and  carriages.  Their 
stables  contain  stall  room  for  one  hundred 
horses. 

CHARLES  E.  BURNS,  carpenter;  P. 
O.  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Springfield, 
111.,  July  25, 1842;  son  of  T.  J.  and  Eleanor 
(Craig)  Burns.  T.  J.  Burns,  who  was  a  car- 
])enter,  architect  and  builder,  was  born  in 
Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1811,  and  died  in  May, 
18G8;  his  wife,  who  was  a  native  of  New 
York  City,  died  Nov.  1,  1866.  They  had  a 
family  of  eleven  children.  Charles  E.  receiv- 
ed a  fair  education,  attending  the  Beards- 
town school,  the  brick  school  house,  five  miles 
east  of  that  town,  and  also  the  brick  school 
house  in  Beardstown  Precinct.  He  began 
the  business  of  life  as  a  carpenter,  in  Chica- 
go, 111.;  engaged  in  farming  for  a  time;  trav- 
eled several  years  on  account  of  ill-health, 
and  for  the  last  five  years  has  been  contract- 
ing and  building  in  Beardstown.  He  was  in 
the  army  three  years,  serving  in  Co.  C,  Third 
111.  Cav.,  under  Capt.  Dunbar;  in  Co.  A. 
]4th  111.  Infty.,  under  Captains  Thompson  and 
Nolton,  and  also  in  the  47th  111.  Infty.,  under 
Capt.  Licks.  In  Beardstown,  July  25,  1869, 
he  married  Caroline  Brown,  a  native  of  Man- 


chester, England,  born  Sept.  15,  1846,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Brown,  and  by 
this  union  they  have  been  blessed  with  four 
children:  Eleanor  E.,  Lida  M.  (deceased), 
Benjamin  If.,  Russell  C.  (deceased).  Mr. 
Burns  is  a  Democrat;  is  a  member  of  Protec- 
tion Lodge  No.  32,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Beards- 
town, aTid  is  connected  with  the  Congrega- 
tional Church. 

C.  A.  BUSSMANN,  contractor  and  builder; 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Osnabruck,  Han- 
over, May  18,  1822,  and  at  sixteen  years  of 
age  began  learning  the  manufacture  of  spin- 
ning wheels,  gears  and  reeds,  at  which  he 
worked  till  he  was  twenty  years  of  age. 
In  1842,  he  emigrated  to  this  country,  and 
came  via  Baltimore  and  Pittsburg  to  Cincin- 
nati, O.,  where  he  worked  a  short  time  on  the 
National  road,  and  late  in  the  same  year 
moved  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  then  worked  on 
farms  in  different  places  till  February,  1843, 
when  he  eame  to  Beardstown,  where  he 
worked  at  various  employments,  and  about  the 
year  1845  apprenticed  to  the  carpenter's  trade, 
with  a  Mr.  Cassau,  and  served  three  years.  He 
has  since  been  a  contractor  and  builder,  em- 
ploving  from  five  to  eighteen  workmen  on  his 
contracts,  and  has  built  many  of  the  principal 
public  and  private  buildings  of  Bjirdstown, 
and  the  county  generally.  In  1860,  he  built  a 
two-story  brick  planing  mill,  on  the  corner  of 
Monroe  and  Sixth  streets,  where  he  dresses 
the  lumber  and  mouldings  used  in  h's  con- 
tracts. In  1848  he  married  Mary  Hackmann 
a  native  of  this  county,  and  by  this  union 
they  have  seven  children  living.  Mr.  Buss- 
man  n  is  a  member  of  the  German  Methodist 
Church. 

GEORGE  H.  BROWN,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Brattleboro,  Vt., 
April  1, 1829;  son  of  George  W.  and  Xylphia 
(Chase)  Brown ;  parents  of  five  children:  he,  a 
weaver  by  trade,  but  chiefly  engaged  in  farm- 
incr;  she  died  in  1851.     Mr.  Brown   attended 


BEAKDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECIXlT. 


231 


school  in  Vermont,  Fulton  Co.,  Ills.,  for  a  time, 
but  received  only  a  limited  education.  He 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Vermont, 
Fulton  Co.,  111.,  and  followed  it  until  185S, 
since  which  time  he  has  engaged  in  farming. 
He  mirried  here,  Aug.  5, 1855,  Sarah  J.  Hager, 
born  in  this  precinct.  May  20,  1840,  who  has 
borne  him  three  children:  Charles  L.,  Henri- 
etta, and  Laura  B.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  Democrat. 
His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

SAMUEL  L.  CALIF,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Sullivan  County, 
N.  H.,  June  25,  1830;  son  of  Nathaniel  and 
Sarah  Pettingill,  both  of  whom  had  been 
married  before  and  had  children.  His  father, 
■who  was  a  farmer,  was  born  in  Salisbury, 
K  H.,  Oct.  26,  1768.  Samuel  L.  attend- 
ed school  in  Plainfield,  formerly  Grant- 
ham, N.  H.,  then  at  Canaan,  N.  H.,  and  af- 
terward at  Lebanon,  N.  H.  He  hired  out 
and  worked  on  a  farm  for  a  while,  near  Plain- 
field,  N.  H.,  and  in  September,  1844,  came  to 
this  county,  where  he  taught  school  for  a 
time,  and  afterward  engaged  in  his  present 
occupation,  farming.  He  married  in  this 
county,  April  22,  1854,  Lucy  A.  Main,  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio;  born  Oct.  15,  1828;  daughter  of 
Loderick  L.  and  Sarah  Main;  he,  born  in 
Connecticut,  March  24,  1796;  she,  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire.  Mrs.  Calif  is  a  member  of 
the  M.  E.  Church;  Mr.  Calif  was  Township 
Trustee  for  some  time,  and  School  Director 
for  many  years.  He  met  with  an  accident 
shortly  after  he  came  to  this  county.  He  was 
out  on  the  Sangamon  Bottom,  hunting  deer, 
■when  the  horse  he  was  riding  became  scared 
at  some  object;  he  threw  his  gun  from  him, 
■which  exploded,  the  shot  striking  him  in  the 
face,  inflicting  a  bad  wound. 

THOMAS  H.  CARTER,  attorney-at-law, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Little  York,  York 
Co.,  Penn.,  Oct.  11,  1823,  and  his  parents 
dying  when  he  was  quite  young,  he  was 
taken  by  an  uncle  to  Connecticut,   where  he 


remained  till  he  was  twenty  years  of  age. 
He  then  commenced  teaching  school,  which, 
in  addition  to  his  attending  school  himself,  in 
the  summer  season,  occupied  his  time  till 
1844,  still  continuing  his  classical  studies  till 
1847,  at  which  time  he  went  to  Ohio  and 
read  law  at  Canfield,  with  Judge  Newton,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  1851.  He  then 
went  to  Ballston  Springs,  N.  Y.,  and  entered 
the  law  school,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  in  1802.  In  September,  1852,  he 
married  Miss  Marcia  L.  Peck,  and  the  next 
month  moved  to  Beardstown,  where  he  has 
since  remained  in  the  practice  of  the  law. 
Mr.  Carter  was  Postmasfer  at  Beardstown 
from  1858  to  1861.  He  was  originally  a 
Whig,  but  since  1856  has  been  a  Democrat. 
Has  been  City  Attorney  and  Alderman.  He 
has  one  son,  Augustine  P.,  in  the  Master 
Mechanics'  office  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  R.  R. 
His  father  was  named  Bushnel,  and  his 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Julia  Laub;  they 
had  three  sous.  Father  and  mother  are  both 
dead.     The  father  was  an  able  lawyer. 

ANTONIO  CASANOVA,  bar-  tender, 
Beardstovpn;  is  a  native  of  Switzerland,  born 
July  15,  1845;  son  of  Balzer  and  Margarite 
(Herman)  Casanova,  natives  of  Switzerland. 
Balzer  Casanova,  who  is  still  living,  was  born 
in  1810,  and  was  for  many  years  a  member  of 
the  Swiss  Legislative  Department;  his  wife, 
who  is  still  living,  was  born  in  1812;  they  are 
the  parents  of  ten  children.  Antonio  at- 
tended school  several  years,  in  Ober  Saxon, 
Switzerland,  where  he  was  afterward  em- 
ployed as  a  letter-carrier,  for  three  years  and 
three  months.  He  then  engaged  in  the  coffee 
house  business,  for  ten  years,  and  March  4, 
1869,  landed  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  has 
since  followed  the  saloon  business  in  this 
country.  Mr.  Casanova  has  spent  a  great 
deal  of  time  in  traveling,  and  has  visited  all 
the  principal  cities  of  this  country,  as  well  as 
those  of  Germany  and  France.     For  the  past 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


year  he  has  been  tending  bar  in  the  Park 
Hotel  saloon,  in  Beardstown.  In  New  Or- 
leans, La.,  Feb.  3,  1876,  he  married  Julia 
Frederick,  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  1853, 
who  died  of  yellow  fever,  in  Memphis,  Tenii., 
Sept.  a,  1879 ;  she  was  a  daughter  of  George 
and  Katie  Frederick.  His  second  wife,  EfFa 
Frederick,  sister  of  his  first  wife,  has  borne 
him  two  ohildron;  by  his  first  marriage,  he 
had  three  children;  of  the  five  children,  three 
are  deceased:  Julia  (deceased),  Antonio  (1) 
(deceased),  Antonio  (2)  (deceased),  Julia  and 
George.  Mr.  Casanova  is  a  member,  in  good 
standing,  of  Gerniania  Lodge,  No.  309, 
Knights  of  Honor,  of  Memphis  Tenn. 

THOMAS  J.  CHALFANT,  wagon  maker, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Wheeling,  W.  Va., 
March  5,  1823,  and  came  with  the  family  of 
Lawrence  Clark,  who  had  adopted  him,  to  this 
county,  then  Morgan  County,  and  settled  three 
miles  south  of  Virginia,  in  December,  1835. 
Mr.  Chalfant  received  such  an  education  as 
the  schools  of  that  day  afforded,  and  remained 
with  Mr.  Clark  until  he  was  eighteen  years  old; 
then  worked  in  the  plow  shops  of  William  and 
John  Clark,  completing  his  trade  with  John 
Whiteside.  He  then  run  a  shop  for  himself 
a  year;  afterward  made  wood  work  for  porta- 
ble saw  mills,  for  about  a  year,  for  John  Webb, 
with  whom  he  came  to  Beardstown,  in  18-48 
remaining  with  him  about  twelve  years,  and 
after  that,  in  1849  or  1850,  became  pattern- 
maker, and  took  charge  of  the  wood- work  de- 
partment, till  1859.  He  then  carried  on  a 
jobbing  shop  till  1862,  when  he  became  fore- 
man ship  carpenter  for  Capt.  Ebaugh,  assist- 
ing in  the  building  of  the  "  Farragut,"  the  first 
steamboat  built  here;  worked  on  river  boats 
two  seasons,  and  was  then  employed  as  fore- 
man in  John  Webb's  wagon  and  plow  shop 
for  two  years.  In  1867,  he  opened  his  pres- 
ent shop,  and  has  since  made  wood  work  for 
plows  and  wagons,  James  Hood  making  the 
iron  work.     In  November,  1848,  Mr.  Chalfant 


married  Anne  E.,  daughter  of  Thomas  P. 
Norton,  of  Beardstown,  a  native  of  W.  Vir- 
ginia; they  have  had  six  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living. 

JULIUS  CIRE,  farmer;  P.  O.  Beardstown; 
is  a  native  of  this  county;  born  in  Arenzville, 
March  13,  1846;  son  of  John  L.  and  Catherina 
(Hamm)  Cire;  natives  of  Prussia,  and  parents 
of  nine  children.  His  father  was  born  May 
4,  1806.  Mr.  Cire  received  his  education  in 
Arenzville,  where  he  attended  school  several 
years,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer,  in 
this  county,  where  he  has  since  pursued  that 
occupation.  He  was  also  engaged  in  the 
sewing  machine  business  for  about  four  years. 
In  Arenzville,  Oct.  37,  1869,  he  married  Car- 
oline C.  Durham,  who  was  born  Nov.  6,  1844:. 
They  have  had  one  child — May.  Mrs.  Cire 
is  a  daughter  of  Ezra  J.  and  Sophia  Durham; 
the  latter,  born  in  1811,  died  Dec.  3,  1867. 
Mr.  Cire  has  been  Deputy  Assessor  for  seven 
years.  He  is  a  R 'publican,  and  a  member 
of  German  Lodge  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Beards- 
town. His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church. 

CHARLES  CLARK,  restaurateur;  Beards- 
town; is  a  native  of  Beardstown;  born 
May  1,  1835;  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Catha- 
rine (Schaffer)  Clark,  and  is  probably  the  old- 
est native  resident  now  living  in  Beardstown. 
His  father,  Charles  Clark,  a  native  of  London, 
England,  when  a  young  man,  came  to  this 
county,  where  he  married  Catharine,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Schaffer,  of  Monroe  Precinct.  He 
was  book-keeper  for  Knapp  &  Pogue,  of 
Beardstown.  He  died  about  the  year  1836, 
leaving  four  children,  of  whom  our  subject, 
and  Mrs.  Sockmann,  of  Peoria,  are  living. 
Mr.  Clark  worked  on  boats  on  the  Illinois 
and  Mississippi  rivers  as  cabin  boy  for  about 
four  years,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began 
learning  the  cooper's  trade,  serving  his  ap- 
prenticeship with  his  step-father,  Thomas 
Elam.     After  working  at  his  trade  with   dif- 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


233 


fcrent  persons  till  1861,  he  was  employed 
during  the  war  as  cook  and  steward  on  vari- 
ous steamboats;  afterward  engaged  in  various 
pursuits  till  1877,  when  he  opened  a  restau- 
rant on  Main  street,  Beardstown,  where  he 
lias  since  carried  on  that  business,  and  also  a 
confectionery,  with  good  success.  In  1857, 
ho  married  Miss  Staten,  who  has  borne  him 
four  children,  of  whom  one  is  living.  In 
1870,  he  married  Mary  McKnight,  of  Beards- 
town. 

J.  K.  CLARK,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff  Springs; 
was  born  in  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county, 
then  Morgan  Coun^,  May  l-t,  1828,  and  is  a 
son  of  Tiiomas  C.  and  Julia  Ann  (King) 
Clark.  Thomas  C.  Clark  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, Feb.  24,  1785;  was  married  in  Bar- 
ron County,  Ky.,  April  23,  1807,  to  Julia  Ann 
King,  who  was  born  in  Green  County,  Tenn., 
Oct.  15,  1790.  They  moved  to  Tennessee, 
where  they  lived  seventeen  years,  then  came 
to  Illinois,  and,  after  several  changes  of  loca- 
tion, located,  in  1846,  at  Bluff  Springs,  where 
they  died;  he,  Aug.  16,  1852;  she,  Aug.  2, 
1866;  of  their  thirteen  children,  four  sons 
and  five  daughters  grew  to  maturity,  of 
whom  three  sons  and  three  daughters  are  liv- 
ing, all  in  this  county.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  attended  school  near  Mount  Pleasant, 
la.,  for  about  four  years,  afterward  attending 
the  schools  of  this  county  some  time.  He 
first  taught  school  for  some  time,  and  then  de- 
voted his  attention  to  farming,  which  occupa- 
tion he  has  since  pursued.  Mr.  Clark  was, 
for  many  years,  Road  Supervisor,  and  School 
Director;  he  is  a  Democrat. 

J.  H.  CRAMER,  grocer,  Beardstown;  was 
born  in  Beardstown,  March  29,  1859;  son  of 
Jacob  H.  and  Charlotte  (Trampe)  Cramer. 
Jacob  H.  Cramer,  subject's  father,  was  born  in 
Germany,  Oct.  5,  1823;  he  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade.  In  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  March  8,  1851,  he 
married  Charlotte  Trampe;  he  died  in  Boards- 
town,  May   7,  1872;  he    had   nine   children. 


J.  Edward,  at  Portland,  Oregon;  Engelbert,  a 
farmer,  in  this  county;  Amelia  M.  M.  (deceas- 
ed), Julius  Henry  (subject),  Adelia  M.,  Charles 
William,  Henrj'  (deceased),  Katie,  and  Ber- 
tha (deceased).  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
received  his  education  in  Beardstown,  and  at 
the  age  of  14  years  began  learning  the  cigar- 
maker's  trade  with  Henry  Dettmer,  serving 
one  and  one-half  years  in  Beardstown,  and 
one  year  in  Meredosia;  then  worked  as  jour- 
neyman at  various  places  for  one  and  one-half 
years;  also  engaged  in  farming  with  his 
brother,  in  this  county,  for  a  short  time.  He 
then  worked  in  a  flouring  mill  at  River  Falls, 
Wis.,  sixteen  months,  and  in  the  fall  of  1880, 
returned  to  Beardstown,  where  he  worked  as 
core-maker  in  a  foundry,  until  the  fall  of  1881, 
when  he  built  his  present  store,  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  State  streets,  on  a  part  of 
his  father's  estate,  where  he  has  since  carried 
on  the  grocery  and  provision  business. 

CHARLES  H.  CUMMINGS,  photograjiher 
and  real  estate  agent,  Beardstown ;  was  born 
in  Scott  County,  111.,  Dec.  6,  1842  ;  son  of 
Henry  B.,  and  Ruth  Anna  (  Freeborn  )  Cum- 
mings.  Henry  B.  Cummings,  was  born  in 
Maj'sville,  Ky.,  and  moved  to  Exeter,  Scott 
Co.,  111.,  in  1840,  where  he  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  until  his  death,  which  occur- 
red in  the  spring  of  1850  ;  he  left  two  chil- 
dren. Charles  H.  received  his  education  at 
Exeter,  111.,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  became 
a  brakeman  on  the  Great  Western  Railroad, 
and  after  a  few  months,  was  promoted  to  con- 
ductor, and  ran  a  j^assenger  train  until  1862. 
He  then  began  learning  photography  in  Fair- 
field, Iowa,  thence  went  to  Dos  Moines,  Iowa, 
where  he  remained  until  1804,  thence  to  In- 
dianapolis, Ind.,  working  as  an  operator  there 
until  1866  ;  then  operated  in  a  gallery  in  St. 
Louis  until  1870;  then  conducted  a  photo- 
graph gallery  in  Mattoon,  111.,  two  and  a  half 
years;  and  at  Charleston,  111.,  three  years. 
After  spending  a,    year  in  Jacksonville,   111., 


234 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  conducting  a  gallery  in  Virginia,  this 
county,  three  years;  he  came  to  Beardstown 
in  the  fall  of  1879,  where  he  bought  his  pres- 
ent photograph  gallery,  which  he  has  since 
conducted  with  good  success,  employing  one 
operator,  two  assistants,  and  a  clerk.  He 
was  appointed  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  1880, 
re-elected  in  1881,  and  resigned  the  office  in 
the  spring  of  1883,  and  was  elected  Police 
Magistrate  for  four  years ;  he  was  also  com- 
missioned a  Notary  Public  in  1883.  He  car- 
ries on  a  large  real  estate  and  collecting  busi- 
ness. At  Charleston,  111.,  in  1874,  he  mar- 
ried Carrie  Poorman  of  that  place.  He  is  a 
Democrat. 

THOMAS  CLARK,  deceased,  was  born  in 
Franklin  County,  Tenn.,Sept.  14, 1830.  (For 
parents,  see  sketch  of  his  brother,  J.  K. 
Clark,  which  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
work.)  He  received  his  education  partly 
in  Iowa,  and  partly  in  Monroe  Precinct, 
this  county,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer, 
which  occupation  he  followed  until  his  death_ 
He  died  from  lockjaw,  caused  by  a  nail  run- 
ning into  his  foot,  Nov.  8,  1878.  He  was 
married  in  Beardstown,  April  13,  1851,  to 
Sarah  E.  Jumpp,  born  in  Grant  County,  Ky., 
Nov.  35,  183G,  daughter  of  Valentine  and 
Mary  Jumpp.  By  this  union  they  were  bless- 
ed with  eleven  children:  George  E.,  Alice  A.. 
Henry  J.,  Sophronia,  Adelaide  (deceased), 
Delia,  Marion  M.,  Noah  N.,  Mary  M.  (deceas- 
ed ),  Barbara  and  Maud  ( deceased ).  Mr- 
Clark  was  a  Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the 
M.  E.  Church. 

WILLIAM  DUVAL,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Ar- 
enzville;  was  born  in  Beardstown,  Jan.  35, 
1837,  and  is  a  son  of  William  H.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Duvandach)  Duval,  natives  of  Hanover, 
Germany.  William  H.  Duval  was  born  in 
1806  ;  was  a  shoemaker,  carpenter,  and 
farmer;  he  died  in  August,  1880.  His  wife 
was  born  in  1804;  they  had  nine  children. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his  edu- 


cation in  Beardstown,  worked  at  the  printer's 
trade  two  years,  and  has  since  been  a  farmer 
in  this  county.  He  married  April  1,  1859, 
Mary  Meier,  a  native  of  Prussia  ;  and  from 
this  union  the  following  children  have  been 
born  :  Hannah,  William,  John,  Minnie,  Ed- 
ward, Henry,  Emma,  Louis  and  Lucy.  Mr. 
Duval  has  been  School  Director  and  Trustee 
for  nine  years  ;  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  an  adherent  of  the  Republican 
party. 

EDWIN  F.  DERR,  American  Express 
Agent;  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Lebanon 
Penn.,  March  8,  1844.  He  enlisted  Feb.  2S, 
1862,  for  three  years,  in  the  Twelfth  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer  Cavalry,  re-enlisted  in 
January,  1SG4,  and  was  discharged  July  30, 
18G5,  at  Philadelphia,  Penn.  During  his 
term  of  service  he  participated  in  many  im- 
portant engagements;  he  served  under  Gen. 
Pope  in  the  second  battle  of  Manassas,  was 
in  the  battles  of  South  Mountain,  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  Antietam;  was  with  General  Sher- 
idan at  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill  and  New- 
town; was  in  the  fight  at  McConnellsburg, 
Penn.,  and  was  with  Gen.  Milroy  when  he 
was  driven  out  of  Winchester,  Va.  He  served 
two  years  in  the  ranks;  was  Orderly  Sergeant 
and  was  tendered  a  commission  as  First  Lieu- 
tenant, by  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  but 
declined.  In  March,  1806,  he  came  West; 
stayed  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  for  a  time;  engaged 
for  one  and  a  half  years  as  a  clerk  in  the 
Quarter-master's  Department,  at  Fort  Gibson, 
Indian  Territory;  was  clerk  for  the  Kansas 
Pacific  Rail  Road,  at  Kansas  City,  four  years, 
and  in  1874  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  clerk 
in  the  Freight  Department  of  the  C,  B.  &  Q. 
R.  R.,  at  Rock  Island,  111.,  for  a  year,  then 
agent  at  Piasa,  111.,  for  same  road;  from  July, 
1877,  to  January,  1879,  was  agent  for  the  C, 
B.  &  Q.  R.  R.,  at  Beardstown,  and  has  since 
been  the  agent  of  the  American  Express 
Company  here.     Mr.  Derr  married  in  Beards- 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


235 


town,  Jan.  l-i,  1879,  Statia  Cornelius,  of  Peo- 
ria, 111. 

LUKE  DUNN,  farmer;  P.O.  Beardstown ; 
is  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England;  was  born 
May  20,  1824;  son  of  Luke  and  Elizabeth 
(Bullen)  Dunn;  also  natives  of  Cornwall.  His 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation;  his  mother 
died  Dec.  II,  1831;  they  had  eight  children. 
Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the 
j)arish  of  Alternun,  in  England,  and  began 
farming  in  this  county,  where  he  has  since 
followed  that  occupation.  He  married,  March 
2i,  1846,  in  Cornwall,  England,  Elizabeth 
Jasper,  a  native  of  that  country,  and  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Jasper.  By  this 
union  they  have  had  eight  children.  Mr. 
Dunn  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as 
County  Commissioner;  he  is  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  26, 1.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  Lodge  No. 
726,  Knights  of  Honor,  in  Beardstown. 

ROBERT  H.  DUNN,  hardware  merchant, 
Beardstown;  son  of  Luke  Dunn,  was  born  in 
Beardstown  Precinct,  April  2,  1852.  In  ad- 
dition to  his  common  school  education,  he  at- 
tended the  Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville. 
In  September,  1881,  he,  in  conjunction  with 
his  cousin,  William,  purchased  the  old  estab- 
lished hardware  business  of  Abner  Foster, 
and  continued  under  the  firm  name  of  W. 
T.  and  A.  H.  Dunn,  till  March  6,  1882, 
when  Robert  H.  became  sole  proprietor.  He 
is  doing  a  very  fair  business,  which  is  con- 
stantly growing.  His  father,  Luke  Dunn, 
was  elected  County  Commissioner,  at  the  last 
election,  on  the  Republican  ticket,  receiving 
a  majority  in  this  Democratic  county,  of  216 
over  a  very  popular  Democrat. 

JOHN  DUNN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  Aug. 
1,  1812.  (For  parents  see  sketch  of  his 
brother,  Luke  Dunn,  which  appears  in  this 
work.)  Mr.  Dunn  received  his  education  in 
the  Parish  of  Alternun  in  England,  and 
began  farming  in  this  county,  whore  he  fol- 


lowed that  occupation  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Oct.  4,  1875.  He  was  married  in 
this  precinct,  July  20,  1840,  to  Caroline 
Tread  way,  a  native  of  Harford  County,  Md.; 
born  May  13,  1817;  still  living.  By  this 
union  they  were  blessed  with  nine  children: 
Elizabeth  (deceased),  Mary  A.,  Martha  J.  (de- 
ceased), John  G.  (deceased),  Emeline  (de- 
ceased), Sarah  E.,  William  T.,  Charles  N. 
and  an  infant  (deceased).  Mrs.  Dunn  is  a 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Elizabeth  Treadway. 
Mr.  Dunn  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church;  he  was  a  Republican. 

DUCHARDT  BROS.,  butchers  and  cattle 
dealers,  Beardstown;  George  and  William  M. 
Duchardt,  the  members  of  this  firm,  are  the 
sons  of  John  and  Frederiecke  (Krohe)  Du- 
chardt. George,  the  elder  brother,  was  born 
in  Beardstown,  Feb.  22,  1849;  William  M. 
was  born  Sept.  20,  1850;  they  both  early  en- 
gaged in  the  butcher  business  with  their  fath- 
er, who  was  a  butcher  by  trade.  In  1869,  the 
brothers  formed  a  partnership,  and  purchased 
their  father's  slaughter  houses,  butcher  shop, 
and  dwelling  house,  and  under  the  firm  name 
of  Duchardt  Bros.,  have  since  carried  on  a 
prosperous  business.  They  have  a  good  meat 
market  on  State  street;  for  some  years  they 
packed  pork  and  handled  all  kinds  of  meats, 
tallow,  and  lard;  they  buy  and  ship  all  kinds 
of  live  stock.  Their  father,  John  Duchardt, 
was  born  in  1795,  in  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Ger- 
many, where  he  learned  the  butcher's  trade. 
At  twenty  years  of  age,  he  emigrated  to 
America,  landing  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  thence 
went  to  Cincinnati,  O.,  where  he  remained 
until  1832  or  1833;  he  then  went  to  St.  Louis, 
which  was  at  that  time  but  a  small  French 
village;  then  came  to  Beardstown  about 
1833,  where  he  opened  a  butcher  shop,  sup- 
plying meat  to  the  river  steamboats,  and  do- 
ing a  general  trade.  He  took  real  estate  in 
payment  for  some  of  his  meat  bills,  and  a  farm, 
which  he  got  for  one  of  these    bills,  he  after- 


2:}6 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


ward  sold  for  $5,000.  He  engaged  in  the 
butchering  and  pork  packing  business  in 
Beardstown,  till  1869,  when  he  retired,  his 
sons  taking  the  management  of  the  business. 
He  built  a  slaughter  house  on  the  west  side  of 
Second  street,  and  for  several  years  butchered 
for  a  Chicago  beef  packer,  killing  as  high  as 
seventy  beeves  per  day.  He  is  now  residing 
on  his  farm  in  Beardstown  Precinct.  He 
married  a  daughter  of  FredKrohe,of  Beards. 
town;  he  had  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living:  Louise,  wife  of  George  Volkmar,  of 
Beardstown,  Henry,  George,  William,  and 
Louis. 

JOHN  R.  DUTCH,  grain  dealer,  Beards- 
town ;  was  born  in  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo., 
Sept.  7,  1830,  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his 
parents  in  1837.  In  1849,  he  joined  the  Cass 
County  Company,  consisting  of  twenty-one 
persons,  who  went  overland  to  California 
where  he  worked  at  mining  until  the  fall  of 
1850,  when  he  returned  to  Cass  County,  and 
in  1851  entered  McKendree  College  for  one 
year,  after  which  he  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing in  Beardstown  with  his  brother,  which  he 
has  continued;  also  dealing  in  grain.  In  1879, 
this  firm  purchased  a  steamer  and  several 
barges,  and  operated  largely  in  grain  along 
the  river  from  Peoria  to  St.  Louis,  handling  a 
large  amount  of  grain.  Capt.  E.  J.  Dutch 
was  born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  in  1783,  and  fol- 
lowed the  sea  for  twenty-five  years,  being 
commander  of  many  vessels,  and  sailing  all 
over  the  world.  He  first  located  at  Cincin- 
nati, and  afterward  went  to  Cape  Girardeau 
and  helped  lay  out  the  town.  In  1886,  he 
came  to  Cass  County,  where  he  died  in  1849. 
He  married  in  New  York  City,  and  had  ten 
children,  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  John 
R.,  (our  subject)  being  the  third  son.  Three 
brothers  and  three  sisters  are  living, 

F.  M.  DAVIS,  merchant,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Monroe,  Cass  Co.,  July  'iO, 
1844;    sou    of  John  and   Elizabeth  (Dobson) 


Davis,  he  (.lohn)  being  born  near  Ashland, 
this  county,  Nov.  16,  1823,  and  was  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Cass  County.  She  (Eliza- 
beth) was  a  native  of  Kentucky.  They  were 
married  Nov.  16,  1842,  and  five  children  were 
born  to  them.  Mr.  F.  M.  Davis,  our  subject, 
for  a  young  man,  has  had  a  varied  life.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  enlisted  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fourteenth  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  served  as  drummer  till  May  24,  1865, 
nearly  three  years,  being  in  numerous  hot 
engagements,  including  Vicksburg,  Jackson, 
Nashville,  etc.  Returning  after  the  war,  he 
clerked  awhile,  and  then  entered  a  commer- 
cial college.  After  his  marriage  with  Miss 
Lizzie  King,  he  removed  to  Secor,  but  re- 
turned to  Beardstown  and  entered  into  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account,  in  which  he  has 
since  continued.  His  wife  is  a  lady  of  much 
business  ability  and  enterprise,  and  she  has 
for  many  years  successfully  conducted  the 
millinery  and  dress-making  business.  She  is 
a  native  of  North  Carolina,  born  March  15, 
1846. 

HENRY  B.  DeSOLLAR,  dealer  in  agri- 
cultural implements,  Beardstown;  was  born 
in  London,  England,  February  11,  1820.  His 
father,  who  was  of  French  parentage,  was 
born  in  Amsterdam,  Holland.  Mr.  DeSollar 
came  to  America  in  1834,  and  located  at 
Brantford,  Upper  Canada,  and  when  fifteen 
years  of  age  was  apprenticed  to  the  carriage 
and  wagon-making  trade,  at  which  he  served 
three  years.  He  served  in  the  militia  in  the 
Canadian  rebellion  of  1837,  for  six  months. 
In  1838,  he  moved  to  Akron,  Ohio,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  as  journeyman  nine 
months;  then  started  a  shop  of  his  own  in 
South  Akron;  afterward  moved  to  Hartford, 
O.,  where  he  ran  a  shop  for  eighteen  months. 
In  July,  1842,  he  came  to  Bethel,  Morgan 
County,  III.,  where  he  carried  on  business  for 
some  years.  In  1848,  he  came  to  Beards- 
town, bought  a  shop,  and  carried  on  the  man- 


BEARDSTOVVN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


237 


ufacture  of  carriages  and  wagons,  until  18(58, 
wlien  he  turned  his  shop  into  warerooms  for 
agricultural  implements,  and  has  since  en- 
gaged in  the  implement  business.  In  Akron, 
O.,  in  1839,  he  married  Christina  Clemens, 
who  died  in  Bethel,  111.,  in  1847,  leaving 
three  children.  In  1849,  in  Beardstown,  he 
married  Miss  Cook,  and  from  this  second  mar- 
riage four  children  have  been  born. 

OLIVER  DECKER,  farmer  and  grain- 
buyer;  P.  O.  Bluff  Springs;  is  a  native  of 
this  county;  born  Jan.  29,  1839;  son  of  John 
and  Mary  Ann  (Guyott)  Decker.  John  Deck- 
er, whose  biography  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  work,  was  born  in  Germany,  May  21, 
1804,  and  is  still  living  near  Bluff  Springs, 
this  county;  his  wife  is  deceased.  They  had 
two  children:  Oliver  and  Oscar,  the  latter  de- 
ceased. Oliver  received  but  a  limited  educa- 
tion, attending  for  a  short  time  the  country 
schools  and  the  school  in  Beardstown.  He 
began  life  as  a  farmer,  and  has  since  followed 
that  occupation;  he  also  deals  in  grain.  He 
married  in  this  precinct,  Dec.  18,  1867,  Jose- 
phine L.  Rew,  born  Jan.  22,  1843,  who  has 
borne  him  two  children:  John  W.  and  Charles 
H.  Mrs.  Decker  is  a  daughter  of  Bradford 
B.  and  Julia  Ann  Rew;  he,  a  native  of  New 
York,  born  Jan.  12, 1816 ;  she,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
born  Aug.  25,  1821;  still  living.  Mr.  Decker 
is  a  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
has  been  Road  Supervisor  two  terms. 

JAMES  A.  DICK,  farmer;  P.  O.  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Simpson  County,  K}'.,  June 
10,  1823.  His  parents,  Peter  and  Clu'istina 
Dick,  were  natives  of  North  Carolina,  and 
are  both  deceased;  they  had  a  family  of  eight 
children — five  boys  and  three  girls;  his  father 
was  a  farmer.  James  A.  attended  school  in 
his  native  county,  and  afterward  in  Sangamon 
and  Cass  Counties,  of  this  State,  receivino-  but 
a  limited  education.  He  began  life  as  a 
farmer,  and  has  since  followed  that  occupa- 
tion.    He  was  married   in  this  county  Oct  7, 


1845,  to  Mary  Bowen ;  born  in  Monroe  County, 
O.,  Sept.  27,  1819;  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and 
Ellen  Bowen;  from  this  marriage  they  have 
had  the  following  children:  Samuel  (de- 
ceased), Ellen,  Nancy  (deceased),  Amanda 
(deceased),  James  M.,  Mary  A.  and  William 
F.  Mr.  Dick  was  elected  Sheriff  of  this 
county  in  1856,  and  served  two  years;  was 
re-elected  in  1864,  and  again  served  two 
years.  He  has  been  School  Director  and 
Road  Supervisor;  and  is  a  member  of  Ark 
Lodge  No.  23  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  in  Beards- 
town; he  is  a  Democrat. 

JOHN  DECKER,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs;  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  this 
county;  was  born  in  Germany,  May  31,  1804. 
His  parents,  Nicholas  and  Mary  (Kersting) 
Decker,  had  five  children,  three  boys  and  two 
girls:  John,  Antony,  Theresa,  Elizabeth  and 
Henry.  Mr.  Decker  received  his  education 
in  Germany,  where  he  attended  school  seven 
years,  till  he  reached  the  age  of  fourteen, 
and  began  farming  in  Germany,  and  since  the 
year  1835  has  pursued  that  occupation  here. 
In  this  precinct,  in  1835,  he  married  Mary 
Ann  Guyott,  who  was  born  in  St.  Augustine, 
Florida,' in  1797,  and  died  Nov.  28,  1873; 
they  have  had  two  children:  Oliver  and  Oscar. 
When  Mr.  Decker  came  here,  he  bought 
320  acres  of  land,  at  eight  dollars  per  acre, 
which  is  still  in  his  possession.  He  is  a 
Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church. 

DAVID  C.  DILLEY,  insurance;  Beards-. 
town;  was  born  in  Columbiana  County,  O., 
Sept.  3,  1828,  and  was  raised  near  Warren, 
Ohio,  where,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  ap- 
prenticed to  the  harness-maker's  trade,  at 
which  he  worked  there  till  1850.  In  the  fall 
of  that  year  he  came  to  this  county;  lived  for 
a  time  east  of  Virginia,  then  moved  into  that 
town,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  till  1853; 
afterward  engaged  in  farming  for  about  three 
years.     In    1858    he    came    to    Beardstown, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


where  he  worked  at  his  trade  a  year,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1859  was  elected  County  Treasurer 
of  this  county,  which  position  he  held  twelve 
years.  Since  1S70  he  has  been  engaared  in 
the  insurance  business.  In  June,  1853^  he 
married  Melvina  Hall,  of  Virginia,  111. 

J.  C.  H.  EBERWEIN,  merchant,  Beards- 
tow"n;  was  born  at  Giessen,  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany,  in  March,  1819,  and  received  his 
education  in  the  University  of  Giessen.  In 
1837,  he  came  to  this  country,  and  in  1838,  to 
Beardstown;  worked  for  a  time  in  a  packing 
house  and  on  a  farm,  and  for  about  two  and  a 
half  years  in  a  store.  In  1842,  he  moved  to 
Butler  County,  O.,  where  he  married  Miss 
Maria  Gungerich,  and,  returning  to  this 
county,  engaged  in  farming,  near  Arenzville, 
until  the  death  of  his  wife,  in  the  spring  of 
1846.  He  then  spent  some  time  in  Wiscon- 
sin, New  Orleans,  La.,  Kansas  and  Nebraska. 
He  kept  store  at  Richland,  111.,  for  about  two 
years,  for  Mr.  Moore,  and  in  1849  engaged 
in  business  with  a  partner,  to  whom  he  sold 
out  his  interest  in  1851.  He  then  entered 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in 
Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  improved  about 
fifty-three  acres,  and  in  1852  went  to  Califor- 
nia, with  a  party  of  four,  by  the  overland 
route.  He  traded  in  piovisions  between  Sac- 
ramento and  Nevada  City,  Cal.,  and  in  1853, 
returned  via  the  Panama  route.  He  then 
engaged  in  business  for  two  years  with  a  part- 
ner, whose  interest  he  then  bought  out,  and 
carried  on  business  in  the  same  store  till 
1880,  when  he  built  his  present  business 
house,  where  he  carries  on  a  general  mer- 
chandising business,  assisted  by  his  two  sons. 
In  1853,  he  married  Christina  Tucken,  of 
Beardstown,  and  by  this  union  there  have  been 
born  four  children:  August,  Herman,  Christina 
and  William.  By  his  first  marriage  he  had- 
two  children:  Lena  and  Bertha.  Since  1853 
he  has  been  engaged  in  the  pork-packing 
business. 


JOHN  EDDY,  foun'dry;  Beardstown;  was 
born  Dec.  25,  1830,  in  Cornwall,  England, 
where  he  served  seven  years  apprenticeship 
to  the  machinist's  trade.  In  1857,  he  came  to 
this  country,  and  located  at  Beardstown,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  late  war,  when  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
and  there  became  foreman  in  a  gun-boat  yard 
during  the  war.  In  lstj7,  he  returned  to 
Beardstown,  and  till  1871,  was  foreman  in  Mr. 
Ebaugh's  machine  shop  and  foundry  there.  He 
then  engaged  as  engineer  on  various  steam- 
boats, which  Mr.  Ebaugh  commanded  on  the 
Illinois  River,  till  1874,  and  in  1875  again  en- 
tered the  foundry  and  soon  became  foreman 
of  the  machine  shops,  which  position  he 
still  holds.  The  foundry  and  machine  shop, 
when  running  full  time,  employ  twentj'-four 
hands,  and  are  now  filling  contracts  for  the  C, 
B.  &  Q.  R.  R. 

FREDERICK  W.  EHRHARDT,  manu- 
facturer, Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Han- 
over, Germany,  born  March  24,  1842.  He 
was  educated  in  Brunswick,  where  he  received 
a  university  course,  and  afterward  learned 
the  mercantile  business,  being  employed  with 
cotton  and  linen  manufacturers.  He  came  to 
the  United  States  in  October,  1867.  Re- 
mained in  New  York  two  years.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  neckwear  in  Chi- 
cago, for  about  two  years,  and  came  to 
Beardstown  in  1871.  Tne  first  j'ear,  he  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  neckties,  and 
the  sale  of  special  lines  of  furnishing  goods. 
In  1873,  he  began  the  manufacture  of  baking 
powder  and  extracts,  and  in  1875,  added  the 
manufacture  of  ginger  ale  and  white  beer.  In 
1879,  he  added  the  minufacture  of  soda  and 
mineral  waters;  and  then  blueing  and  per- 
fumeries. He  has  a  large  sale  for  his  different 
productions,  and  especially,  his  Universal 
Baking  Powder.  His  sales  average  about 
ilO,000  per  year,  selling  mostly  to  wholesale 
dealers.      In   1870  he   married,  in    Chicago, 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


2:!0 


Miss  Rosa  Rosenmerkel,  and  has  five  cliililren 
living,  two  sons  and  three  daughters. 

JUDGE  SYLVESTER  EMMONS,  de- 
ceased, was  born  in  Hunterdon  County, 
N.  J.,  Feb.  28,  1808.  In  1831,  he  went  to 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  he  studied  law; 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Hancock  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  in  May,  18-13;  and  in  1844,  be- 
came editor  of  an  anti-Mormon  paper,  called 
the  Nauvoo  Expositor,  only  one  number  of 
which  was  published,  when  the  press  was  de- 
stroyed. He  came  to  Beardstown  in  1844, 
and  conducted  the  Beardstown  Gazette  ujitil 
1853.  He  served  as  Circuit  Clerk  of  this 
county  nine  years;  was  appointed  Postmas- 
ter of  Beardstown,  in  184'J;  was  Mayor  of 
Beardstown  two  terms;  was  Master  in  Chan- 
cery of  this  county  several  terms,  and  was 
Police  Magistrate  and  Justice  of  the  Peace 
here,  for  many  years.  He  was  originally  an 
old  line  Whig,  afterward  a  Republican.  In 
1847,  he  married  Elizabeth  Miller,  sister  ofE. 
B.  Miller,  and  from  this  union  four  children 
were  born:  Alice,  Arthur,  and  two  others, 
who  died  in  infancy.  Judge  Emmons  died 
Nov.  15,  1881.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church. 

HENRY  T.  FOSTER,  retired,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Lincoln  County,  Me.,  Feb.  3, 
1815,  son  of  Robert  Foster  and  Maria  (Emer- 
son) Foster;  he,  a  native  of  Boston,  born  in 
1773,  and  she,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire; 
they  had  eleven  children.  Robert  was  a  mer- 
chant and  shipbuilder,  and  came  to  Illinois  in 
1835,  but  returned  to  Westchester,  Pa.,  where 
he  died  in  1847,  his  wife  having  died  in  1831. 
Our  subject  came  to  Illinois  in  1835,  and  in 
1836  opened  a  store,  which  after  two  years  he 
sold  out.  He  then  made  a  trip  to  New  York, 
and  returning,  went  into  partnership  with  his 
brother  for  several  years.  He  wastne  of  the 
joint  purchasers  of  the  Wilbourn  Flouring 
Mills,  which  he  assisted  in  conducting  about 
three  years.     From  1840  till  1853,  Mr.  Foster 


was  engaged  in  farming;  also  in  packing  and 
shipping  hogs,  for  the  Eastern  markets,  and 
from  1853  till  18 TG,  he  was  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising, and  the  agricultural  implement 
business. 

ABNER  FOSTER,  retired;  Beardstown  ; 
was  born  in  Union,  Lincoln  Co.,  Me.,  Aug., 
3,  1817,  and  came  west  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  locating  in  Schuyler  County,  111.,  but 
shortly  afterward  removed  to  Richmond, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  merchandising, 
in  connection  with  his  brother  Henry.  In 
1838,  he  and  his  brother  came  to  Beardstown, 
and  began  merchandising.  In  1840,  he  with 
two  others,  bought  a  mill,  and  continued  the 
business  two  or  three  years.  He  then  engag- 
ed in  farming.  In  1849  he  quit  farming,  and 
came  to  Beardstown,  and  conducted  the  lum- 
ber business  till  185G,  when  he  went  to  Han- 
cock County,  and  run  a  steam  saw  mill.  In 
1860,  he  returned  to  Beardstown.  In  18G8  he 
a^ain  eno-asred  in  the  lumber  business,  and  in 
1873  commenced  the  hardware  business, 
whxh  he  continued  until  1881.  In  1876,  he 
was  elected  President  of  the  Cass  County 
Bank,  in  which  he  has  been  a  director  and 
stockholder  for  many  years.  In  1844,  he 
married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Ward,  daughter  of  Col. 
John  M.  Ward,  of  Menard  County,  and  two 
children  were  born,  both  of  whom  are  dead. 

COL.  JOHN  B.  FULKS,  deceased,  was 
born  in  W^estmoreland  County,  Virginia,  in 
1805.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  an 
infant;  his  father  married  again,  and  John 
B.,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  went  to  live  in 
Kentucky.  He  received  a  good  education  in 
Frankfort,  Ky.,  where  he  learned  the  printer's 
trade;  he  was  U.  S.  Marshal,  and  a  member 
of  the  Kentucky  Legislature.  He  came  to 
Beardstown,  April  4,  1834,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade;  he  afterward  started  a  paper  in 
Jacksonville,  Ills.;  thence  removed  to  Rush- 
ville.  Ills.,  where  he  published  a  paper  four  or 
five  vears,  and  in   1841,  returned  to   Beards- 


240 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


town.  In  1851  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  this 
county;  he  was  the  first  City  Clerk  of  Beards- 
town.  He  married  Feb.  26,  1835,  Sarah 
Crewdson,  a  native  of  Logan  County,  Ky., 
daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Bell)  Crewd- 
son, natives  of  Westmoreland  County,  Va., 
who  came  to  this  county  in  1831  from  Logan 
County,  Ky.  Mr.  Fulks  died  Nov.  1,  1866, 
leaving  a  widow  and  seven  children:  Timole- 
on  C,  editor  of  the  Marion  Co.  (LUs.)  JSnquir- 
er,'  Richard  B.,  merchant,  of  this  place;  Sam- 
uel, TJ.  S.  Express  Messenger  in  Wright  City? 
Mo.;  Mary,  Emma,  at  home;  Charles  C, 
cashier  of,  Cass  Cu.  Bank;  and  Frank  M.^ 
clerk  in  a  store.  Mrs.  Fulks  came  to  Beards- 
town  with  her  parents  in  1831,  where  she  re- 
ceived her  education.  Richard  B.  Fulks, 
second  son  of  Col.  John  B.  and  Sarah  (Crewd- 
son) Fulks,  was  born  at  Rushville,  Ills.,  Feb. 
6,  1840.  At  the  commencement  of  the  late 
war  he  enlisted  in  Co.  "  K,"  33d  Illinois  In- 
fantry, and  after  serving  two  and  one-half 
years  in  the  ranks,  was  commissioned  Quarter- 
master, and  served  in  that  capacity  till  the 
close  of  the  war.  In  July,  187"-i,  he  opened 
the  Great  Western  grocery  store  in  Beards- 
town,  but  after  two  months  it  burned  out,  en- 
tailing a  loss  to  him  of  $1,000;  he  then  started 
business  in  another  store,  which  was  also  con- 
sumed by  fire,  Nov.  37,  1875;  he  again  start- 
ed in  business,  and  was  again  burned  out.  In 
August,  1876,  he  moved  to  the  Opera  House 
Block,  where  he  has  since  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive grocery  and  dry  goods  business. 

CHARLES  E.  FULKS,  cashier  of  the 
Cass  County  Bank,  Beardstown;  was  born  in 
Beardstown,  Feb.  10,  1856,  and  received  a 
good  education  in  the  schools  of  that  place. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  years,  he  entered  the 
office  of  the  Central  Illtnoiscm,  where  he 
worked  six  years.  He  then  engaged  as  clerk 
for  R.  B.  Fulks,  seven  years.  In  October, 
1881,  he  was  elected  cashier  of  the  Cass 
County  Bank,  which   position    he    has     since 


filled.       He   was  also  elected    City   Clerk  of 
Beardstown,  in  November,  1881. 

ANTON  GREVE,  cigar  manufacturer; 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, January,  38,  1847,  ai«d  at  the  age  of 
eleven  years  began  learning  the  cigar-maker's 
trade,  which  he  completed  when  seventeen 
years  old,  having  in  the  meantime  received 
his  education  by  attending  school  in  the 
mornings.  He  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  a 
year  in  his  native  State,  and  in  1865  came  to 
the  United  States,  and  followed  his  trade 
about  three  years  in  New  York  city.  In  the 
spring  of  1868  he  came  to  Beardstown,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade  as  journeyman  for 
about  seven  years,  and  in  1875  opened  a  cigar 
I'actDry  in  the  room  now  occupied  by  the 
post  office,  and  the  following  year  entered 
into  partnership  with  his  brother,  in  company 
with  whom  he  carried  on  business  for  four 
years.  They  then  dissolved  partnership,  and 
since  the  fall  of  1 880,  Mr.  Greve  has  carried 
on  business  alone.  His  present  factory,  No. 
39,  Fourth  District  of  Illinois,  is  situated  on 
State  street,  opposite  Park,  where  he  removed 
from  his  old  stand  in  1881.  He  employs  two 
cigar  makers,  and  manufactures  on  an  aver- 
age 130,000  cigars  annually;  his  principal, 
brands  are  "Smoking  Car,"  and  "At  Home." 
In  Beardstown,  in  1873,  he  married  Mary 
Pauk;  they  have  four  children. 

ROBERT  H.  GARM,  merchant  tailor  and 
clothier;  P.  O.  Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  this 
county;  born  Aug.  30,  1854,  and  at  the  age  of 
ten  years  moved  with  his  parents  to  Beards- 
town, where  he  received  his  education.  He  af- 
terward took  a  business  course  in  the  Bryant  & 
Stratton  Commercial  College,  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
from  which  he  graduated  in  December,  1S71. 
In  February,  1873,  he  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Garm  &  Benneson,  merchant  tai- 
lors and  clothiers,  he  having  one-half  interest 
in  the  business;  after  two  years,  Mr.  Pilger 
bought    Mr.    Benneson's   interest,  and    after 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


241 


carrying  on  business  two  years,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Garm  &  Pilger,  Mr.  Garra  sold 
out  his  interest  to  his  partner.  Mr.  Garm,  in 
company  with  his  father,  then  engaged  in 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Henry  Garm 
&  Son,  until  Sept.  1,1877,  when  G.  M.  Pitner 
bought  Henry  Garm's  interest,  and  the  busi- 
ness was  conducted  on  the  same  stand,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Garm  &  Pitner,  until  August, 
1879,  when  Mr.  Garm  bought  out  his  partner's 
interest  and  Jan.  1,  1880,  moved  to  his  present 
place  of  business,  where  he  has  since  carried 
on  the  clothing  business. 

HENRY  GARM,  grain  buyer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Germany;  born 
May  23,  1831;  son  of  Henry  and  Margaret 
(Albers)  Garm,  natives  of  Altenburg,  Ger- 
many, and  parents  of  two  children.  Subject's 
father,  who  was  a  farmer,  was  born  in  1798, 
and  died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1840.  Mr. 
Garm  attended  school  in  that  city  several 
years,  and  began  the  business  of  life  as  a 
farmer  in  this  county  in  1852.  He  ran  a  saw 
mill  six  years;  then  kept  a  lumber-yard;  en- 
gaged in  the  merchant  tailoring  business;  af- 
terward in  the  ice  business,  for  three  years; 
and  finally  engaged  in  his  present  business, 
dealing  in  grain.  He  married  here,  in  May, 
1851,  Mary  D.  Harris;  born  March  23,  1831, 
who  has  borne  him  eight  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living:  Robert,  John,  Mamie,  Jo- 
seph and  Frank.  Mr.  Garm  is  a  Democrat; 
has  been  Master  of  Lodge  No.  23,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  three  years;  has  been  Aklerman  four 
years.     He  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

GEORGE  W.  GOODELL,  ice  dealer, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Cuyahoga  County, 
Ohio,  April  39,  1823.  At  the  age  of  seventeen, 
he  began  boating  on  the  Ohio  Canal,  running 
from  Portsmouth  to  Cleveland,  and  soon  be- 
came captain  of  a  boat.  In  1848  he  became 
captain  of  a  freight  boat,  running  from  Chi- 
cago to  La  Salle,  111.;  in  1851,  he  took  com- 
mand of  a  boat  running  from  La  Salle  to  St. 


Louis,  Mo.,  and  during  the  twelve  years 
which  he  spent  on  the  river,  commanded 
freight,  tow  and  passenger  boats;  he  made 
one  trip  up  the  Missouri  River.  During  the 
late  war  he  engaged  in  the  ice  business,  in 
which  he  had  been  previously  interested,  and 
in  1871,  located  in  Litchfield,  Ills.,  where  he 
lived  eight  years.  In  1875,  he  began  cutting 
ice  on  Muscooten  Bay,  and  built  an  ice 
house  near  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  Railroad  depot, 
from  which  he  shipped  ice  by  rail.  In  1880, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Huse,  Loorais 
&  Co.,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  the  firm  here  being 
known  as  Huse,  Goodell  &  Co.,  and  built  an 
ice  house  on  the  Bay,  having  a  capacity  of 
18,000  tons,  and  enlarged  the  capacity  of  the 
houses  on  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  Railroad,  to  13,000 
tons.  Their  houses  are  fitted  up  with  all  mod- 
ern contrivances,  and  with  a  hoisting  appara- 
tus, invented  by  Mr.  Goodell.  The  firm  of 
which  Mr.  Goodell  is  a  member,  is  one  of  the 
most  extensive  ice  companies  in  the  West, 
and  employs  about  250  men  in  the  cut- 
ting season,  and  the  great  portion  of  the  ship- 
ping season,  from  forty  to  fifty  men. 

THEODORE  HEINZ,  deceased,  was  a 
native  of  Germany,  born  near  Frankfort- 
on-the-Main,  February  4,  1830.  His  mother 
died  when  he  was  a  babe,  and  his  father, 
Jacob  Heinz,  came  to  America  in  11341  or 
1843,  and  located  in  Arenzville,  this  coun- 
ty, and  sent  for  his  family  of  three  small  boys 
in  1842.  Jacob  Heinz  worked  at  carpenter's 
and  other  trades.  Mr.  Heinz  lived  in 
Arenzville  till  he  was  about  seventeen  years 
old,  then  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he  was 
employed  as  clerk  in  a  general  store,  till  he 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-two;  then  he  re- 
turned to  Arenzville  and  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising about  three  years.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Beardstown,  where  he  was  engaged 
as  book-keeper  for  Nolte  &  McClure  for  a 
number  of  years;  then  engaged  in  the  cloth- 
ing and    merchant-tailoring    business,  which 


S>42 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


he  followeJ  until  his  death,  in  June,  1877. 
He  was  married  in  Beaidstown,  in  November, 
1851,  to  Ellen  A.  Uoolidge,  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts, born  in  1832.  From  this  union 
eight  children  were  born,  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  all  living.  Mrs.  Heinz  came  to 
Beardstowii  in  1849,  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Jo- 
seph McGee,  now  of  Waukegan,  111.,  and 
taught  in  a  Beardstown  private  school,  be- 
fore her  marriage,  and  in  the  public  schools 
for  the  last  five  years.  Mr.  Heinz  served  as 
City  Clerk,  and  in  other  city  ofEces.  He  was 
a  Republican. 

LYMAN  HAGER,  farmer,  P.  O.  Beards- 
town  ;  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  Aug.  30, 
1828;  son  of  Reuben  and  Sarah  (Reed) 
Hager;  also  natives  of  New  Hampshire;  he, 
a  farmer,  born  March  8,  1793,  died  March  32, 
1871  ;  she,  born  April  4,  1795,  died  Sept.  12, 
1846  ;  they  had  a  family  of  seven  children. 
Lyman  received  a  limited  education,  having 
attended  but  a  short  time  the  schools  at 
Beardstown  and  Blufl"  Springs,  and  also  at 
the  Cottonwood  school  house.  He  began 
farming  in  this  precinct,  where  he  has  since 
followed  that  occupation,  with  the  exception 
of  four  years,  which  he  spent  mining  in  Cali- 
fornia. In  Beardstown,  this  county,  June  15, 
1855,  he  married  Cornelia  Spalding,  a  native 
of  Indiana;  born  Jan.  15,  1838,  and  died  Dec. 
23,  1878,  leaving  nine  children:  Rose  A., 
Edward,  Douglas,  Clara,  Esther,  Emma, 
Christina,  Mary  and  Joseph.  Jan.  5,  1879 
he  married  his  present  wife,  Annie  Devlin; 
born  near  Dublin,  Ireland,  June  29,  1847; 
daughter  of  Patrick  and  Rose  Devlin  ;  from 
this  marriage  two  children  have  been  born, 
William  and  Charles.  Mr.  Hager  is  a  Demo- 
crat ;  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
Church. 

WILLIAM  RILEY  HAGER,  farmer;  P. 
O.  Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Beardstown, 
this  county;  born  Oct.  29,  1850;  son  of  Cur- 
tis F.  and  Elizabeth  (Horrom)  Hager.     Curtis 


F.  Hager,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  June  21, 
1815,  and  died  Jan.  1,  1877;  his  wife,  a  na- 
tive of  Indiana,  was  born  in  1809,  and  died 
April  14,  18G7;  they  were  the  parents  of  six- 
teen children.  Mr.  Hager  attended  the 
schools  of  this  district  about  ten  years,  and 
has  since  followed  farming  here.  He  married 
here,  Sept.  11,  1873,  Hannah  E.  Bristow,  born 
in  Missouri,  July  25,  1856,  daughter  of  George 
W.  and  Mary  E.  Bristow.  Their  children 
are:  Arthur  L.,  born  Jan.  23,  1877,  and  Clar- 
ence, born  May  18,  1880.  Mr.  Hager  is  a 
Democrat;  is  connected  with  the  M.  E. 
Church,  and  is  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  16, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  Beardstown. 

JAMES  M.  HAGER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Baardstown;  was  born  here,  April  39,  1849, 
He  began  life  as  a  farmer,  and  has  since  pur- 
sued that  occupation.  In  Beardstown,  this 
county,  Aug.  13,  1872,  he  married  Elizabeth 
Chesscher,  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  Nov.  20, 
1848,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Esther  Chess- 
cher. From  this  union  eight  children  have 
been  born:  James,  Sarah,  Elora,  Esther, 
Marv  (deceased),  and  three  others  who  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Hager  is  a  Democrat;  he  is 
a  brother  of  William  R.  Hager,  whose  biog- 
raphy appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

JOHN  H.  HAGENER,  lumber  and  grain 
dealer,  Beardstown ;  was  born  in  Beardstown, 
111.,  Jan.  7,  1850;  son  of  William  Hagener,  a 
native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  who  came  to 
Beardstown  in  1842,  having  lived  in  St.  Louis 
a  short  time  before  coming  here,  and  there 
married  Miss  Lenora  Peters.  He  was  a  car- 
penter and  builder,  and  died  in  1856,  aged 
fifty-nine  years.  His  wife  and  three  sons 
only  survive  him.  Our  subject,  after  receiving 
an  ordinary  education,  learned  the  trade  oi 
stone  cutter,  but  afterward  was  a  clerk  and 
bookkeeper  for  several  years.  In  1874,  he  em- 
barked in  the  lumber  and  grain  business,  first 
by   himself,  and  afterward  in  connection  vvitb 


^^/i^^-2<^^  *^^f>i^t^^^^.^^ -£^^y^^ 


ynivEf, 


BEARDSTOWN-CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


245 


his  brother.  They  own  warehouses  at  Beards- 
town,  Hamilton,  and  Arenzville,  and  have 
agencies  at  other  points.  They  do  a  very  ex- 
tensive business  in  both  lumber  and  grain. 
Mr.  Ilagener,  as  stated  in  this  work,  under 
the  hoad  of  Peop'e's  Bank,  has  been  a  direc- 
tor ol'  that  institution  since  its  orgaiiizatior.  , 
he  has  also  held  other  positions  of  trust.  H<! 
was  married  in  1875,  to  Miss  Kate  Pappmeier, 
daughter  of  J.  F.  Pappmeier,  and  has  three 
children  living. 

WILLIAM  HUPPERS,  mercliant  tailor 
and  clothier,  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Prus- 
sia, Oct.  1,  1839,  and  at  the  age  of  thirteen 
years  beg.an  learning  the  tailor's  trade  in  his 
native  land,  at  which  he  served  two  years,  and 
then  worked  in  Belgium  and  Paris  for  several 
years.  March  17,  1863,  he  arrived  in  New 
York  city,  and  went  from  there  to  Columbus, 
Oiiio,  but  in  June  he  came  to  Beardstown, 
and  worked  at  his  trade  till  1869,  when  he 
started  for  himself,  shortly  afterward  taking 
in  as  partner  Pliilip  Miller,  and  so  continued 
until  Feb.  1,  1881,  Mr.  Miller  retiring  at  that 
time;  since  when  Mr.  Huppers  has  conducted 
the  business  by  himself,  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  State  streets,  where  he  keeps  a  full  line 
of  merchant  tailoring  goods,  employing  six  or 
seven  hands.  He  was  married  in  1805,  to 
Miss  Minnie  Henkel,  of  Arenzville. 

JOHN  H.  HARRIS,  banker,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  April  4,  1833, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  the  United  States 
in  1838,  first  going  to  Louisville,  and  in  18-40 
removing  to  the  Sangamon  Bottoms.  In 
1854,  our  subject  entered  McKendree  Col- 
lege, where  he  remained  three  years, 'and  then 
took  a  course  at  a  commercial  college  in 
Philadelphia,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1858.  and  at  once  entered  the  office  as  book- 
keeper for  John  Gregg,  afterward  becoming 
agent  for  the  sale  of  that  gentleman's  lands 
in  Illinois,  with  headquarters  at  Beardstown. 
In  1864,  Mr.  Harris  also  entered    the    lumber 


business  for  five  years,  and  the  dry  goods 
trade  at  the  same  time.  In  1877,  he  became 
stockholder  at  the  organization  of  the  Peo- 
ple's Bank,  was  elected  its  first  president, 
and  has  filled  that  position  ever  since.  In 
Lebanon,  this  State,  in  1800,  he  married  Miss 
Phehe  Padon,  who  bore  hini  five  (;liildien, 
and  died  in  1873.  In  May,  1S75,  ho  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Ann  TuU,  widow  of  David  Tull, 
and  two  children  have  blessed  this  union. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcojial 
Church. 

FRANKLIN  A.  HAMMER,  banker, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Rockingham  Coun- 
ty, Va.,  April  12, 1829;  son  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Marica)  Hammer,Virginians,  but  of  Ger- 
man descent.  Franklin  came  with  his  parents 
to  Illinois,  in  1835,  and  in  1843  removed  to 
Beardstown.  The  father  had  been  a  black- 
smith and  merchant,  but  after  coming  to 
Beardstown  kept  the  Virginia  House.  He 
afterward  bought  a  farm,  upon  which  he  lived 
until  1807,  when  he  moved  to  Beardstown, 
where  he  died  in  1808.  Our  subject  taught 
school  one  year,  but  went  to  farming  in  1852, 
co.;tinuing  six  years.  He  served  as  Treasurer 
of  Cass  County  in  1857-58.  In  1852,  he 
married  Margaret  Ann  Lee,  daughter  of 
Caleb  Lee,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Cass 
County.  In  1858,  Mr.  Hammer  came  to 
Beardstown,  and  was  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  for  sixteen  years.  In  187G,  he  be- 
came a  stockholder  in  the  Cass  County  Bank, 
was  elected  a  Director  in  1878,  and  at  once 
chosen  President  of  the  same.  He  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  public 
affairs. 

DAVID  HENDERSON,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Pikeion,  Pike  Co., 
O.,  April  20,  1825;  son  of  James  and  Rachel 
(Henderson)  Henderson,  natives  of  Virginia, 
both  deceased.  James  Henderson  was  born 
April  23,  1789;  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
civil  engineer  and  surveyor,  and  died  March  1 1 , 


246 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


1849;  his  wife,  born  March  25, 1793,  died  Oct. 
31,  1863;  they  had  a  family  of  nine  children. 
David  attended  school  in  his  native  town  till 
he  was  fourteen  years  old,  and   in  May,  1844, 
came  to  Illinois,  and   located    in   Meredosia; 
afterward  lived  in  Arcadia,  111.,  two  years,  and 
in  March,  184(3,  came  to  this  county,  and  set- 
tled near  Beardstown.     He  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade  with  his  father,  in  Piketon,  0., 
and    worked    at  it  till    he    came   here,   since 
which  time    he    has   followed   farming.      In 
Beardstown,  this  county,   Aug.    14,  1873,  he 
married  Martha  Morgan;  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, Dec.  15,  1847;   daughter  of  George  and 
Louisa  Morgan;  from  this  union   four  children 
have  been  born:  James  H.,  Mary  G.,  Gertrude 
and  Fannie  A.     Mr.  Henderson  is  a  Republic- 
an; his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 
DAVID  M.  IRWIN,  real  estate  and  insur- 
ance, Beardstown;  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  Feb.  6,  1814;  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Muhlenburg)  Irwin;  he,  a  shipping  merchant 
of  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  she,  a  daughter  of  Fred- 
erick Augustus  Muhlenburg,  first  Speaker   of 
the  House  of  Representatives.     David  M.  was 
educated  in  private  schools  in  his  native  city, 
and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  became  a  clerk  in 
a  wholesale  dry  goods  store,  and  afterward 
book  keeper  in    an    importing  and    shipping- 
house.     In  1841,  he  came  to  Springfield,  Ills., 
engaged   in   mercantile    luusiness    there,  four 
years,  and   afterward   in   St.   Louis,  Mo.,  four 
years.       In  1848  he   came  to   Virginia,  this 
county,  where  he  kept  a  general  store  till  1853, 
then  entered  a  tract  of  prairie  and  timber  land 
in  Hickory    Precinct,  part    of   which  he    still 
owns.     In  1853,  he  opened  a  general  store  in 
Beardstown,    and   remained    there  till    1805 
then  moved  to  Peoria,  Ills.,  where  he  carried 
on   business  three    years.       He  returned    to 
Beardstown  in  18G8,  and  has  since  been  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate,  loan,  and  insurance 
business  there,  and  has    devoted  his   means 
argely  to    improving  and  building   upon  his 


lots.  In  Chester,  Pa.,  in  1839,  he  married 
Sibylla  Birchell,  who  died  in  1841,  leaving 
one  son,  John  H.,  one  of  the  inventors  of  the 
Bell  Telephone,  and  holding  previous  claims 
to  Bell's,  by  which,  on  compromise,  he  receives 
an  annual  stipend  of  $10,000.  Mr.  Irwin  mar- 
ried in  Springfield,  Ills.,  in  1843,  Virginia  G. 
Payne,  and  from  this  second  marriage  there 
has  been  one  daughter,  Ellen.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

L.  A.  JONES,  Jr.,  postmaster,  and  agent 
of  the  O.  &  M.  Railroad,  Bluff  Springs  ;  was 
born  in  Hickory  Precinct,  this  county,  Feb.  17 
1847,  and  is  a  son  of  Luther  A.  and  Drusilla 
C.  (Calif)  Jones,  who  were  the  parents  of 
four  children.  Luther  A.  Jones,  who  is  a 
iariner  by  occupation,  was  born  in  1813,  and 
now  resides  in  Marshall  County,  111.;  he  ran 
the  ferry  at  Beardstown  for  thirteen  years. 
Louis  A.,  received  his  education  principally 
in  Beardstown,  and  engaged  as  agent  for  the 

0.  &  M.  Railroad,  which  position  he  has  held 
at  Bluff  Springs  for  eight  years  ;  he  also  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  business  here  for  a  year. 
In  Beardstown,  Feb.  23,  1873,  he  married 
Rosa  Dale,  who  was  born  in  Frederick,  Schuy- 
ler Co.,  III.,  Aug.  3,  1850,  daughter  of  Hick- 
man and  Amelia  Dale.  By  this  union  they 
have  been  blessed  with  four  childien:  Charles 
F.,  Luther  A.,  died  March  23,  1870,  aged  ten 
months,  Emma  L.  and  Louis  A.  Mr.  Jones 
is  the  present  postnuister  of  Bluff  Springs  ; 
he  is  a  Republican. 

WILLIAM    JOCKISCH,   retired,  Boards- 
town;  was  born    in   Saxony,  German}',  March 

1,  183;J,  and  in  1833  came  with  his  pa- 
rents to  America,  landing  in  New  Orleans, 
La.,  after  a  voyage  of  eight  weeks.  Gotthalf 
Jockisch,  our  subject's  father,  was  a  native  of 
Saxony,  and  after  coming  to  America,  settled 
on  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
what  is  now  Arenzville  Precinct,  this  county, 
and  added  to  his  original  purchase  till  he  had 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  good  land. 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECIXCT. 


247 


He  died  in  1850,  aged  fifty-five  years,  leaving 
an  estate  wortli  over  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars.  His  wit'e,  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  St. 
Louis,  while  on  iicr  waj'  to  this  county,  V)ore 
him  nine  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  Sax- 
onv.  There  are  five  sons  living,  William  be- 
ing the  youngest  but  one.  Our  subject  re- 
ceived a  fair  English  and  German  education, 
and  after  his  father's  death  purchased  a  part 
of  the  homestead  farm,  on  which  he  followed 
farming  until  1S?0,  when  he  built  a  substan- 
tial residence  on  Sixth  street,  Beardstown, 
where  he  has  since  lived,  giving  his  family  a 
good  education.  He  still  owns  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Beardstown  Precinct;  he  has 
been  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Peo- 
ple's Bank,  of  Beardstown,  since  its  organiza- 
tion. Mr.  Jockisch  married  Nov.  1,  1855, 
Elizabeth  Rahn,  a  native  of  Beardstown. 
They  have  had  five  children,  two  sons  and 
three  daughters:  Victor,  Elizabeth,  Annie, 
Rosa  and  Rudie. 

CHARLES  T.  JOKISCH,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Bluff  Springs;  is  a  native  of  Saxony;  born 
Jan.  4,  182^;  son  of  Charles  G.  and  Mary  E. 
(.Jacob)  Jokisch,  also  natives  of  Saxony. 
Charles  G.  Jokisch,  who  was  a  farmer  and  dis- 
tiller, was  born  June  20,  1796,  and  died  in 
this  county,  Oct.  9,  1851;  his  wife,  born  in 
1794,  died  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  while  on  the 
way  to  this  county,  Jan.  24, 1835;  they  had 
fifteen  children — nine  boys  and  six  girls. 
Charles  T.  received  a  fair  education,  having 
attended  school  in  Saxony  six  years.  He  en- 
gaged in  the  hrewe.-y  business  with  his  uncle 
for  some  time,  afterward  learned  the  cooper's 
and  carpenter's  trades,  and  finally  became  a 
farmer.  In  Beardstown,  this  county,  March 
27,  1S50,  he  married  Mary  E.  Carls,  a  native 
of  Hanover,  Germany;  liorn  Aug.  28,  1834; 
daughter  of  John  F.  and  Elizabeth  Carls; 
from  this  union  twelve  children  have  been 
born:  Louis,  Phiiiipena,  Edward  B.,  Albert 
W.,  George  F.,  Emma,  Elizabeth,  John  Wes- 


ley (died  March  23,  1870,  aged  3  years  and 
one  month),  Ida  E.,  Richard  R.,  Cornelia  P. 
and  Otillia.  Mr.  Jokisch  is  a  Republican; 
was  Road  Supervisor  and  School  Director  in 
1878,  and  is  at  present  School  Trustee;  he  is 
a  member  of  the  German  Methodist  Church. 

GOrTHALF  .JOKISCH,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Saxony,  Feb.  22,  1820;  son  of 
Charles  G.  and  Mary  E.  (Jacob)  Jokisch, 
natives  of  Saxony,  and  parents  of  fifteen 
children,  nine  boys  and  six  girls.  Charles  G. 
Jokisch,  born  June  20,  1796,  was  a  farmer 
and  distiller,  and  died  in  this  county  Oct.  9, 
1851;  his  wife,  born  in  1794,  died  Jan.  24, 
1835,  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  while  on  the  way  to 
this  county.  Gotthalf  was  always  a  farmer. 
In  this  county,  Dec.  12,  1846,  he  married 
Eleanor  Carls,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany, 
born  Nov.  2,  1824,  who  bore  him  ten  chil- 
dren: Mary,  Maurice,  Philip,  Matilda,  Ame- 
lia, Edward,  Harry,  Theophilus  (deceased), 
George  (deceased),  and  Otto  (deceased).  Mr. 
Jokisch  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church; 
he  was  a  Republican. 

J.  LEWIS  KUHL,  grocer,  Beardstown ; 
was  born  in  Beardstown,  July  16,  1850,  and 
is  half  brother  of  the  Kuhl  brothers;  his 
father  having  married  at  the  death  of  his  first 
wife,  Mrs.  Heminghouse,  who  bore  him  four 
children:  J.  Lewis,  Mary,  Henry,  and  Lydia. 
Our  subject,  after  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, took  a  course  at  the  Central  Wesleyan 
College,  Warrenton,  Mo.,  also  a  partial  course 
at  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University,  and  a 
commercial  course  at  the  Gem  City  Business 
College,  graduating  from  that  institution  in 
1872;  after  which  he  clerked  for  some  years 
for  Kuhl  Bros,  and  at  Pekin.  In  1881,  he 
embarked  in  the  grocery  business,  on  the 
corner  of  Sixth  and  Monroe  streets,  where  he 
has  a  fine  trade  in  groceries  and  queensw^are. 
Jan.  23,  1879,  he  married  Miss  Emma  J. 
McVey,  daughter  of  Rev.  W.  H.  McVey,  of 
Griggsville,  III. 


248 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


JOHN  KNIGHT,  banker,  Beardstowii;  is 
a  native  of  Cornwall,  England;  born  Feb.  5, 
1838.  His  father,  Thomas  Knight,  also  a 
native  of  Cornwall,  England,  was  a  cooper, 
and  followed  his  trade  in  the  town  of  Cum- 
bron,  England,  before  coming  to  America. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Burlase,  of  Cornwall, 
England,  who  bore  him  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  John  being  the  youngest  son,  and 
fourth  child.  The  children  are  as  follows  : 
IMary,  Mrs.  D.  Bottrell,  of  Christian  Co.,  111.; 
William  J.,  of  Beardstown;  Thomas,  John 
(subject);  Elizabeth  J.,  Mrs.  Chauncey  Rice; 
and  Emily,  who  died  at  New  Orleans,  after 
the  voyage  from  England.  Subject's  father 
died  in  this  county,  about  the  year  I8G7;  aged 
sixty-seven  years.  His  mother,  who  was  born 
Nov.  25,  1798,  died  Aug.  21,  1879.  Mr. 
Knight  came  to  the  United  States  in  184(3, 
■with  his  parents,  who  settled  in  Beardstown 
Precinct,  and  farmed  for  several  years  in  the 
Sangamon  Bottoms;  then  bought  a  farm  of 
264  acres  of  land  of  Abner  Foster.  He  re- 
ceived a  good  common  school  education,  and 
became  owner  of  the  homestead  farm  during 
the  late  war.  He  engaged  in  farming  there 
till  1871,  when  he  rented  his  lands,  and  moved 
to  Beardstown.  He  has  been  Director  of  the 
Cass  County  Bank  four  years,  and  Vice  Presi- 
dent during  the  same  period.  In  187(1,  he 
married  Augusta,  daughter  of  Henry  Thei- 
bagt,  of  this  county. 

HENRY  C.  KEIL,  hardware  merchant, 
Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany;  born  Nov.  7, 1848.  He  learned  the 
tinner's  trade,  and  worked  some  time  at  Frank- 
fort-on-the-Main,  and  came  to  this  country  in 
the  spring  of  1867.  He  worked  in  New  York 
some  time,  and  then  came  to  Jacksonville, 
111.,  where  he  remained  two  years,  coming  to 
Beardstown  in  the  fall  of  1869,  where  he  re- 
mained till  1872,  when  he  went  to  Europe, 
and  spent  a  year.  On  his  return  he  worked 
at  his  trade,  and   in   1876,  started  for  himself. 


where  he  has  continued  ever  since,  doing  a 
large  and  constantly  increasing  business.  In 
188(1,  he  bought  his  present  iwo-story  brick 
building  on  Main  street,  and  added  to  his 
line  of  stoves  and  tinware  a  stock  of  hard- 
ware and  farm  implements.  In  1877,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Sophia  Weiss,  daughter  of  John 
Weiss,  of  this  county. 

GEORGE  KUHL,  retired,  Beardstown  ; 
was  born  Sept.  17, 1807,  in  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany;  son  of  Christian  and  Elizabeth 
(Ganz)  Kuhl.  Our  subject  learned  the  trade 
of  baker,  and  worked  at  that  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  1833  he  came  to  America,  and 
worked  in  Richmond,  Va.,  a  couple  of  years, 
and  in  1836  came  to  Beardstown  with  his 
])aronts.  In  1837  he  started  in  the  bakery 
business,  which  he  continued  till  1848.  He 
then  erected  larger  warerooms,  and  bought 
grain  and  sacked  provisions  for  many  years. 
In  1861  he  built  another  business  room  on 
Main  street,  and  opened  a  dry  goods  store, 
continuing  the  grocery  business  in  another 
room.  In  1876  Mr.  Kuhl  retired  from  busi- 
ness, leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  his  sons,  George 
and  Philip.  In  1838  he  married  Miss  Chris- 
tiana Becker,  who  died  in  1848,  and  three  sons 
are  living  by  that  marriage.  He  was  again 
married  in  1849,  to  Mrs.  Femmyhouse,  and 
four  children  have  been  born  to  them. 

GEORGE  S.  KUHL,  of  Kuhl  Bros.,  dealers 
in  dry  goods,  groceries  and  notions,  Beards- 
town ;  is  a  native  of  Beardstown,  born  Aug. 
28,  1841,  where  he  received  his  primary  edu- 
cation, finishing  at  Quincy  College.  He  be- 
gan clerking  in  a  grocery  store  when  young, 
and  remained  at  that  occupation  till  1861,  when 
he  enlisted  in  Co.  K.,  33d  111.  Vol.  Infantry, 
and  served  in  Missouri  two  years,  under  Gen- 
erals Steele  and  McClernand.  In  the  spring 
of  1862,  he  was  detached  from  the  ranks,  and 
served  as  a  clerk  in  the  mustering  office  for 
nearly  two  years,  and  was  discharged  in  1864, 
having  served  three  years.     In  1872,  he  and 


BEARDSTOVVN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


249 


his  two  brothers,  William  P.,  and  Philip,  en- 
tered into  partnership,  and  carried  on  busi- 
ness for  five  years,  when  William  P.  retired 
from  the  firm,  and  George  S.  and  Philip  have 
since  carried  on  the  dry  gfoods  and  grocery  busi- 
ness, employing  three  salesmen.  In  1881,  the 
sales  in  the  two  dejiartments  amounted  to 
$50,000.  In  1868,  Mr.  Kuhl  married  Julia 
E.,  daughter  of  James  Buck,  of  Boardstown. 
They  have  one  son  and  one  daughter. 

HENRY  KUHLMAN,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Germany,  born 
March  23,  1841,  son  of  Gottlieb  and  Mary 
(Markman)  Kuhlman.  His  father,  who  is  still 
living,  was  born  in  Prussia,  in  180G,  and  is  a 
farmer.  Henry  attended  school  seven  years 
in  Germany,  where  he  afterward  learned  the 
tailor's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  till  he 
came  here,  since  which  time  be  has  followed 
farming.  He  served  three  years  in  Co.  C, 
3d  Ills.  Cavalry,  under  Colonel  Carr.  In  this 
county,  Feb.  5,  1868,  he  married  Sarah  E. 
Dunn,  a  native  of  this  county,  daughter  of 
John  and  Caroline  Dunn;  from  this  union  six 
children  have  been  born:  John  W.,  Albert  H., 
Elizabeth  C.  (died  May  11, 1875,)  Frederick  C, 
Editii  A.,  and  an  infant  yet  unnamed.  Mr. 
Kuhlman  is  a  Republican  and  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  22,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Beardstown; 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

WILLIAM  KUHLMAN,  farmer;  P.  O. 
B(!ardstown;  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany, 
June  19,  1840;  son  of  Gottlieb  and  Mary 
(Markman)  Kuhlman.  His  father  is  still  liv- 
ing, and  follows  the  occupation  of  a  farmer; 
he  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1806.  William  re- 
ceived his  education  in  his  native  land, where 
he  attended  school  seven  years;  then  began 
learning  the  brick-mason's  trade,  at  which  he 
worked  in  Germany;  but  since  1860  he  has 
followed  farming.  In  Beardstown,  this  coun- 
ty, Sept.  14,  1865,  he  married  Nancy  J.  Mc- 
Lin,  born  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  Jan.  4, 1844, 
wliu    has    borne   him   seven    children:     Ella, 


Elizabeth  C,  Clara  M.,  Harry,  Charlie,  Myr- 
tle, and  Edgar.  Mrs.  Kuhlman  is  a  member 
of  the  M.  E.  Church;  she  is  a  dauQ-hter  oi 
John  and  Charity  McLin.  Mr.  Kuhlman  is  a 
Republican,  and  a  member  of  Protection 
Lodge  No.  23,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Beardstown, 
this  county. 

AUGUST  E.  KAMMERER,  jeweler, 
Beardstown  ;  was  born  in  Wheeling,  Va. 
(now  West  Virginia),  Aug.  3,  1847,  where 
he  received  his  education.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  apprenticed  to  the  watchmaker's 
and  jewelers  trade,  at  which  he  served  four 
years  in  his  native  city,  and  in  1865,  started 
in  business  in  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  where  he 
remained  till  1869.  He  then  moved  to  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  where  he  remained  till  1877,  when 
he  came  to  Beardstown,  and  in  1880  opened 
his  present  jewelry  store  on  Main  Street. 

LYCURGUS  S.  LEE,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluflf 
Springs;  is  a  native  of  Maryland,  born  Sept. 
14,  1827,  son  of  Caleb  and  Matilda  (Higgins) 
Lee,  also  natives  of  that  State,  and  parents  of 
ten  children.  Caleb  Lee,  who  was  a  farmer, 
was  born  in  1789,  and  died  Dec.  10,  1847;  his 
wife  was  born  in  1802,  and  died  in  1875. 
Lycurgus  S.  received  his  early  education  in 
what  was  then  known  as  "  the  corner  "  school- 
house  in  Morgan,  now  Cass  County,  and  began 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  has  since  continued  in  that 
occupation  on  the  sami;  home  farm.  He  will 
have  been  in  tiiis  precinct  50  years  ne.vt  Octo- 
ber. In  this  county,  Sept.  14, 1854,  he  married 
LuvinaReam;  born  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  in 
1833,  daughter  of  John  and  Catharine  Ream; 
by  this  union  six  children  have  been  born: 
Charles  W.,  Dora  A.,  Mary  M.,  Anna  M., 
Solon  S.  and  Ada  T.  Mr.  Lee  has  been 
School  Director  and  Road  Commissioner;  he 
is  a  Republican. 

CHRISTIAN  T.  LAUNER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  Jan. 
30, 1839,  and  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Lydia 
(]\Iarty)  Launer.     Frederick  Launer,  who  was 


2")0 


BIOGEAPIIICAL  SKETCHES. 


!i  Lutheran  minister,  was  born  in  Berne, 
Switzerland,  ii;  ]  ^96,  and  died  in  tiie  fall 
of  1870;  he  was  tlie  first  preacher  in  this 
county;  his  wife,  also  a  native  of  Switzer- 
land, was  born  in  1830,  and  died  Jan.  4, 
1876;  they  were  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren. Mr.  Launer  came  with  his  parents 
to  this  county  in  IS-il;  he  received  but 
a  limited  education,  as  he  attended  school 
but  a  short  time.  He  began  life  as  a  farmer, 
and  has  ever  since  followed  that  occupation 
in  this  county.  He  married  here  March  10, 
1870,  Josephine  Winhold,  who  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  Sept.  13,  1837;  the}'  have  had 
eight  children:  Bertha,  Edward  (deceased), 
Ida,  Rosa,  Richard,  Edwin  (deceased),  Cora 
and  Robert.  Mr.  Launer  is  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  and  a  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party. 

DR.  H.  H.  LITTLEFIELD,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Wells,  York  County,  Me., 
Sept.  25,  1823.  His  parents  moved  to  Great 
Falls,  N.  H.,  when  our  subject  was  thirteen 
years  old.  After  receiving  a  primary  educa- 
tion, he  began  the  study  of  medicine.  In 
1843,  he  came  West  and  taught  school  two 
years.  In  1846,  he  attended  two  courses  of 
medical  lectures  at  Bowdoin  College,  gradu- 
ating in  1848,  and  locating  in  Beardstown  for 
one  year;  then  removed  to  Schuyler  County, 
where  he  lived  till  1860,  when  he  returned  to 
Beardstown,  where  he  has  since  remained, 
with  the  exception  of  two  years'  service  in  the 
Union  army,  as  Assistant  Surgeon.  He 
was  with  Grant's  army,  and  consequently  saw 
much  service.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society;  also  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  since  1875. 

JACOB  LEBKNECHER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany, 
June  22,  1836;  son  of  Jacob  and  Margaret 
(Kohlman)  Lebknecher,  natives  of  Germany; 
he,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  born  in  1812,  died 
D  c.  17,  1838;    she,  born  in  1808,  died  March 


13, 1859;  parents  of  four  children.  Jacob  re- 
ceived his  education  in  Germany,  where  he 
attended  school  seven  years,  and  began  the 
business  of  life  as  a  cigar-maker  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.  He  afterward  worked  for  four- 
teen months  in  a  wholesale  tea  and  cof- 
fee house  in  New  York  city;  then  engaged 
in  the  brewery  business  in  Peoria,  III.,  and 
was  afterward  engaa-ed  in  the  same  business 
in  Beardstown,  this  county,  thirteen  years. 
He  has  followed  farming  in  this  county  eight 
years.  He  was  married  in  New  York  city, 
Nov.  12,  1859,  to  Kathrina  Burkheiser,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  born  April  4,  1839,  daugh- 
ter of  Karl  and  Mary  A.  Burkheiser.  They 
have  had  nine  children:  Anna  M.,  Frank  J., 
Charles,  Jacob,  Lena  (deceased),  Emma  (de- 
ceased), William,  Katie,  and  Tillie.  He  is  a 
Democrat,  and  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  57, 
A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Beardstown. 

ALEXANDER  LAMMERS,  merchant, 
Beardstown;  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Hut- 
macher)  Lammers,  was  born  in  Burgsteinport, 
Prussia,  May  28,  1809.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen, he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  car- 
penter and  builder,  at  which  he  worked  sev- 
eral years  in  his  native  country,  and  in  1836, 
he  came  to  the  United  Slates.  He  first  set- 
tled in  New  York,  then  in  Cleveland,  and 
then  in  Indiana;  after  which  he  went  to  Miss- 
issippi, working  at  his  business,  and  from 
there  to  the  mines  at  Galena,  Ills.,  and  Wis- 
consin. He  first  visited  Beardstown  in  1842, 
but  settled  there  in  1849,  and  opened  a  gen- 
eral merchandising  business,  where  he  has 
been  ever  since,  himself  and  two  sons  con- 
ducting the  same.  Mr.  Lammers  has  built  a 
a  large  number  of  business  and  private  build- 
ings in  Beardstown,  and  has  been  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Cass  County  Bank  since  its  or- 
ganization. In  1850,  he  married  Miss  Eleo- 
nora  Christianer,  of  Beardstown,  a  native  of 
Germany;  and  one  son  and  two  daughters 
were  born  from  this    marriage;  one  daughter 


BEAR  DSTOWX— CITY  AND  PEECI.NXT. 


251 


living,  wife  of  John  Listinan.  Mrs.  Lanimers 
died  June  5,  1855.  Dec.  24,  1855  he  married 
Anna  Maria  Eleonora  Gersnieyer,  of  Beards- 
town,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  bore  five 
children,  one  of  whom  died;  those  living  are: 
Augusta,  Alexander,  Bertha,  and  Frank. 
Mrs.  Lammers  died  Aug.  2,  1849. 

HENRY  C.  MEYER,  brick  manufacturer 
and  ice  dealer;  Beardstown;  is  a  native  of 
Prussia,  Germany;  born  Sept.  20,  1835.  In 
1844,  he  came  to  the  United  States  with  his 
parents,  who  settled  on  a  farm  in  Knox 
County,  Ind.,  where  he  lived  till  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  early  began  to 
learn  brick-making,  at  which  he  worked  about 
eight  years  in  Knox  County,  Ind.  In  1857, 
he  came  to  Beardstown,  and  started  a  brick 
yard  near  the  town,  and,  after  running  it  one 
year,  took  as  a  partner  J.  Baujan,  and  they 
run  the  business  in  company  about  five  years, 
when  Mr.  Meyer  retired  from  the  busi- 
ness, and  bought  a  farm  in  Arenzville  Pre- 
cinct, this  county,  and  engaged  in  farming 
there  about  five  years.  He  then  resumed 
brick-making,  and  has  ever  since  been  en- 
gaged, more  or  less  extensively,  in  that  busi- 
ness. In  1870,  he  bought  a  half  interest  in 
ihe  present  saw-mill  on  the  bay,  and,  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Baujan  run  it  for  two  years; 
then  bought  out  his  partner's  interest,  and 
has  since  run  the  mill  on  his  own  account, 
employing  eight  or  nine  men  constantly. 
The  mill  cuts  on  an  average  4,000  feet  per 
day.  For  the  past  six  years  Mr.  Meyer  has 
been  engaged  in  the  ice  business,  and  has 
four  ice  houses  with  a  capacity  of  6,000  tons; 
his  farm,  mill,  ice  business,  and  brick-yard, 
furnish  employment  for  a  large  force  of  men. 
He  married  Jan.  1,  18G3,  Amelia,  daughter  of 
Lewis  Boy,  of  this  county;  they  have  had  six 
children,  one  deceased.  Mr.  Meyer  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  present  City  Council;  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

REV.  C.  R.  MORRISON,  M.  E.  minister; 


Bluff  Springs;  was  born  in  Scott  County, 
111.,  Nov.  27,  1852;  son  of  Robert  and  Alvira 
A.  (Gillham)  Morrison.  Robert  Morrison  is 
a  native  of  Virginia;  born  Dec.  12, 1811;  he  is 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  resides  in  Fre- 
mont County,  la.;  his  wife  was  born  in  what 
is  now  Scott  County,  111.,  in  May,  1821,  and 
was  the  first  female  white  child  born  in  that 
county;  of  their  eleven  children,  five  are  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Morrison  received  his  primary 
education  in  the  country  schools;  in  1871, 
he  entered  a  preparatory  school  in  Jackson- 
ville, 111.,  and  in  1873,  entered  the  Illinois 
College  in  that  place,  where  he  graduated  in 
1878,  being  valedictorian  of  the  graduating 
class.  He  afterward  spent  one  year  in  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Evanston,  111.  He 
began  his  career  as  a  minister  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  in  the  Waverly  Circuit,  Morgan 
County,  111.,  and  has  ever  since  been  a  minis- 
ter of  the  gospel.  In  Jacksonville,  111.,  Feb. 
2,  1882,  he  married  Margaret  Rees,  a  native 
of  Morgan  County,  111.,  born  June  2,  1803, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Edwin  and  Margaret  R>es; 
he,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  1810; 
she,  born  near  Jacksonville,  111.,  in  1828. 
Mrs.  Morrison  was  a  graduate  of  the  Illinois 
Female  College  class  of  1881.  Mr.  Morrison 
is  a  Republican. 

WILLIAM  H.  McCORMICK,  "distiller, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
Feb.  24,  1838,  and  received  his  education 
in  his  native  city.  At  fourteen  years  of  age 
he  began  working  as  train  boy,  and  at  other 
employments,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  be- 
came conductor  of  a  train  running  between 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,  and  Cincinnati,  O.,  re- 
maining in  that  position,  on  that  road,  till 
1873,  with  the  exception  of  four  years,  which 
he  spent  in  Tennessee.  He  went  to  that 
State  in  1863,  and  was  employed  as  ccfnchictor 
on  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga,  and  Nash- 
ville and  Northwestern  Railroads  till  1866, 
when  he  returned  to  Indianapolis,    and  was 


252 


BIOGRArHICAL   SKETCHES. 


employed  by  the  company  he  had  formerly 
worked  for  as  conductor,  running  between 
Cincinnati,  O.,  and  Lafayette,  Ind.,  until 
1873.  In  that  year  he  retired  from  railroad- 
ing', and  devoted  his  attention  to  the  livery 
business,  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  till  1870,  when 
he  sold  out  and  removed  to  Beardstown.  He 
then  again  engaged  in  his  former  occupation 
of  conductor,  on  the  Springfield  division  of 
the  O.  &  M.  Railroad,  until  the  spring  of  1880, 
when  he  engaged  in  the  distilling  business  in 
Beardstown.  In  1858,  he  married  Emma  A. 
Brown,  of  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

HENRY  MENKE,  retired  druggist; 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Bremen,  Germany, 
Dec.  15,  1813;  his  father  was  a  native  of 
Bremen,  Germany,  was  born  Feb.  4,  1780, 
and  died  in  185i;  his  mother,  Maria  (Lamke) 
Menke,  died  in  1847;  they  came  to  America 
in  1834.  Of  their  family,  Henry  and  Mrs. 
Hoffman  are  the  only  survivors.  Henry  be- 
gan learning  the  baker's  trade  at  the  age  of 
fourteen,  and  afterward  spent  a  year  and  a 
half  learning  the  brewing  business.  He  came 
to  America  with  his  parents,  and  settled  near 
Arenzville,  in  1834,  where  his  father  purchased 
200  acres  of  land,  on  which  our  subject  lived 
for  about  thirteen  years.  He  then,  in  compa- 
ny with  his  brother,  engaged  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness in  Beardstown,  in  1847,  and  his  brother 
dying  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  he  continued  the 
business  alone  about  two  years,  then  sold  out 
to  the  former  proprietor,  Dr.  T.  A.  Hoifman, 
and  remained  in  the  employ  of  the  latter 
ten  years;  then  bought  the  business  back 
again,  and  continued  it  until  1879,  when  he 
sold  out  and  retired  from  business  life.  He 
became  a  stockholder  and  Director  of  the 
Illinois  Insurance  Company,  and  was  its  first 
President;  the  charter  and  name  of  this 
company,  about  two  years  later,  was  changed 
to  the  Cass  Countj'  Bank,  and  Mr.  Menke  has 
acted  as  President  of  the  organization,  in  all, 
about  ten  years.     He  married,  Jan.  13,  1848, 


Alice  A.  Fletcher,  a  native  of  Lancashire, 
England,  who  died  in  October,  1873.  She 
bore  him  three  sons,  two  living — Henry  and 
William  Edward.  In  June,  1874,  he  married 
Mrs.  Mary  Dennis,  nee  Osmotherly,  a  native 
of  Kent,  England. 

Z.  E.  MAINE,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Beards- 
town; is  a  native  of  this  county;  born  in 
Beardstown  Precinct,  near  the  town  of  Beards- 
town, March  30,  1849,  son  of  Loderick  L. 
and  Sarah  (Calif)  Maine.  Loderick  L.  Maine 
was  born  in  Stafford  Springs,  Conn.,  March  24, 
1786,  and  is  still  living;  he  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade ;  his  wife  was  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire; they  had  had  five  children.  Our  sub- 
ject attended  school  in  this  precinct  eleven 
years,  and  also  two  years  in  Beardstown,  and 
engaged  in  farming  in  this  precinct,  where  he 
has  since  pursued  that  occupation,  with  the 
exception  of  two  years,  1870-71,  which  he 
spent  in  Iowa.  He  married  in  this  precinct, 
Feb.  23,  1869,  Ellen  McKean,  a  native  of 
Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  born  March  23, 
1847,  who  has  borne  him  three  children :  Minta 
(deceased),  Lucas  A.  (deceased),  and  Minnie. 
Mrs.  Maine  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Nancy 
McKean;  he  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, born  in 
1806;  she,  a  native  of  West  Virginia.  Mr. 
Maine  is  a  Greenbacker,  and  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  23,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Beardstown. 

EDMUND  P.  MILLER,  livery;  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Greenburg,  Green  County, 
Ky.,  March  25, 1819;  son  of  Major  William  and 
Martha  (Winlock)  Miller.  Major  William 
Miller  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1790;  removed 
to  Green  County,  Ky.,  when  a  boy,  and 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which  he 
worked  several  years;  afterward  kept  hotel  in 
Greenburg,  Ky.,  in  Springfield,  111.,  and  in 
Jacksonville,  111.  In  1843  he  removed  to  this 
county,  and  died  in  Beardstown  in  1864.  He 
served  in  both  campaigns  of  the  Black  Hawk 
War,  being  captain  during  the  first,  and  pro- 
moted to  the  rank    of  Major  in    the  second 


BEAUDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


253 


campaign;  he  was  a  stanch  Whig.  His  wife, 
who  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  died  in  185(3, 
aged  sixty-eight  years;  they  have  had  eight 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living:  Edmund  P. 
came  with  his  parents  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in 
1827,  then  in  1839,  to  Jacksonville,  111.,  where 
he  resided  until  1843;  and  in  the  fall  of  1844 
came  to  Beardstown,  and  purchased  a  farm 
four  miles  from  the  town,  and  engaged  in 
farming  in  this  precinct  until  1881;  he  owned 
some  of  the  best  farms  in  the  county,  and  en- 
gaged largely  in  raising  grain.  He  purchased, 
at  the  administrator's  sale  of  the  effects  of  the 
late  David  Drake,  his  present  livery  stables, 
and  does  a  good  livery  and  feed  business;  has 
accommodation  for  fifty  horses.  In  1857 
he  married  Catharine,  daughter  of  William 
Wright,  of  Schuyler  County,  111.;  they  have 
five  children  living. 

PHILIP  MILLER,  retired;  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Schoenberg,  Hesse- Darmstadt, 
May  1, 1835.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  began 
learning  the  tailor's  trade,  in  his  native  State, 
at  which  he  served  three  years,  then  traveled 
--as_a^  journey  man  for  five  years,  and  in  1850 
came  to  America,  and  worked  two  and  a  half 
years  in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  October, 
1853,  he  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  tailor  shop  for  some  time,  then  be- 
came cutter  for  Von  Alstine  three  years,  then 
for  E.  P.  Chase  nine  years.  In  18G9,  in 
partnership  with  William  Huppers,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Huppers  &  Miller,  he  opened  a 
merchant  tailoring  and  clothing  house,  and 
after  changing  their  location,  they  built  the 
business  block  now  occupied  by  Huppers  & 
Cowen,  where  they  carried  on  business  till 
February,  1881,  when  Mr.  Miller  sold  out  his 
interest  in  the  stock  and  building,  and  retired 
from  active  business  life,  on  account  of  failing 
health.  In  November,  1855,  he  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Joseph  Ruff,  of  Beards- 
town. 

WILLIAM    F.    MOHLMANN;    Beards- 


town; was  born  in  the  village  of  H;ifer,  Prov- 
ince of  Minden,  Prussia,  Dec.  13,  1836,  and 
came  to  this  country  when  thirteen  years  of 
age,  with  his  father,  who  settled  at  Beards- 
town in  1849.  He  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade;  also  studied  architecture.  His  father 
was  a  cabinet-maker,  and  was  born  in  1813, 
his  wife  being  Miss  Anna  Teilkemeyer,  and 
raised  four  children,  W.  F.  being  the  oldest. 
The  father  died  Jan  10,  1883.  He  served  as 
alderman,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  for  thirty-three  years.  Our  suljject  in 
1875  bought  the  furniture  factory  of  his  father, 
and  carried  on  the  business  there  till  January, 
1883,  when  he  moved  into  the  building,  which 
he  erected  in  1881,  on  the  corner  of  Jeffer- 
son and  Second  Sts.,  where  he  keeps  a  large 
and  well-assorted  stock  of  furniture.  He 
also  attends  to  the  undertaking  business. 
In  1858  he  married  Miss  Lydia  Looman,  of 
Beardstown,  and  has  three  sons  and  three 
daughters  living. 

CHARLES  J.  NORBURY,  merchant  and 
salesman,  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  May  33,  1813,  and  at  seventeen 
years  of  age  entered  a  commission  house  in 
that  city,  and  was  afterward  in  a  wholesale 
dry  goods  house  there  till  1836.  In  April  of 
that  year  he  came  to  Beardstown,  where  for 
four  years  he  managed  the  receiving  and 
shipping  business  for  Mr.  Bassett,  who  did 
an  extensive  forwarding  and  commission  bus- 
iness, chiefly  in  pork,  lard  and  grain.  In 
1840,  Mr.  Norbury  bought  a  wharf  boat,  and 
engaged  in  the  receiving  and  shipping  busi- 
ness, on  his  own  account,  for  several  years; 
then  carried  on  a  boat  store,  supplying  pack- 
ets with  provisions,  etc.,  for  three  or  four 
years.  About  the  year  1855  he  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  George  Plahn  &  Co., 
with  which  he  was  connected  in  the  general 
merchandising  business,  for  fourteen  years. 
He  then  engaged  in  the  same  business  on  his 
own  account,  till   1874,  and  for  the  past  five 


254 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


years  has  been  employed  as  salesman  for 
Reariok  &  Beatt}'.  In  January,  1839,  he 
married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Spence;  they  have  had  thirteen  children,  two 
of  whom  are  deceased. 

WILLIAM  C.  NOLTE,  grain  merchant, 
Bluif  Springs;  was  born  in  Beardstown,  Nov. 
15,  1844;  only  child  of  Louis  H.  and  Mary 
(Boldt)  Nolte,  natives  of  Germany.  Louis 
H.  Nolte,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  died 
in  October,  1846;  his  widow,  who  is  still  liv- 
ing, was  born  in  October,  1807.  Mr.  Nolte 
attended  school  in  Beardstown  till  he  was 
fourteen  years  of  age,  and  then  began  life  as 
a  farmer;  afterward  he  learned  the  cooper's 
trade,  and  worked  on  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  and  the 
O.  &  M.  Railroads,  for  some  time.  During 
the  late  war  he  served  ten  months  in  Co.  A., 
65th  111.  Vols.,  under  Captain  McClellan.  He 
married,  Oct.  4,  1866,  Mary  M.  Jaques,  born 
Jan.  13, 1849,  who  has  borne  him  five  children: 
Ellen  E.,  Louis  W.,  Harry  F.,  Carrie  A.  and 
Maud  M.  Mrs.  Nolte  is  a  daughter  of 
William  C.  and  Elizabeth  A.  Jaques,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania;  he,  born  April  25,  1833; 
she,  born  Jan,  19, 1830.  Mr.  Nolte  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Lodge  No.  97,  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  in  Beardstown;  he  is  a  Republi- 
can. 

J.  W.  NEWBURNE,  farmer  and  gardener; 
was  born  in  Glassboro,  N.  J.,  June  10,  1846; 
only  surviving  child  of  a  family  of  nine, 
born  to  John  and  Lydia  (Simmerman)  New- 
burne,  natives  of  New  Jersey.  John  Ncw- 
burne,  subject's  father,  was  born  in  1816,  and 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  and  also 
in  farming,  and  at  present  resides  in  Glass- 
boro, N.  J.,  retired  from  active  life;  his  wife 
was  born  in  1830.  J.  W.  resided  in  his 
native  town  till  he  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
when  he  removed  to  Clayton,  N.  J.,  then 
called  Fislertown,  where  he  attended  school 
until  1864,  then  taught  school  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age.     In  1868  he  married 


Rebecca,  daughter  of  John  and  Martha  Flem- 
ing, of  Paulsboro,  N.  J.,  and  in  1809  settled 
near  Beardstown,  this  county,  where,  seven 
years  after,  Mrs.  Newburne  died,  leaving  two 
children — twins.  In  1875  he  returned  to 
New  Jersey,  where  he  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Zane, 
of  Glassboro,  N.  J.,  and  returned  to  this 
county  the  same  year.  He  makes  a  specialty 
of  raising  melons  and  sweet  potatoes,  and 
has  met  with  good  success.  He  shipped  the 
first  forty  barrels  of  sweet  potatoes  by  boat 
to  Chicago,  and  afterward  the  first  car-load 
shipped  from  this  county  to  that  city.  He 
has  one  child  living,  Harry  Walter,  the 
other,  Emily  Luella,  having  died  when  one 
year  old.  Mrs.  Newburn's  father  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  Penn.,  in  1812,  and  for  many 
years  followed  the  trade  of  glass-blowing, 
but  of  late  years  has  engaged  in  farming. 

PEOPLE'S  BANK  was  organized  in  April, 
1877,  as  a  private  banking  institution.  Its 
first  Board  of  Directors  were  John  H.  Harris, 
John  H.  Hagener,  William  Jockisch,  J.  A. 
Arenz,  S.  L.  Calif.  The  capital  stock  was 
S10,000,  originally,  and  in  less  than  five  years 
returned  in  dividends  seventy  per  cent  of  its 
capital  stock,  besides  a  reserve  of  81,50  >. 
Feb.  1,  1883,  the  capital  stock  was  increased 
to  ^15,000,  at  the  same  time  establishing  a 
a  branch  bank  at  Arenzville.  John  H.  Harris 
and  T.  R.  Condit  are,  and  have  been  since  its 
organization.  President  and  Cashier,  respect- 
ively, of  the  institution.  The  present  Direct- 
ors are  Harris,  Hagener,  Soliultz,  Jockisch, 
and  Saylor.  A.  J.  Saylor  is  President,  and 
C.  H.  Condit,  Cashier,  of  the  branch  at  Arenz- 
ville. Mr.  Thomas  H.  Condit  was  born  in 
Winchester,  Scott  County,  111.,  on  Feb.  11, 
1856,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  commenced 
as  book-keeper  in  First  National  Bank,  at 
Winchester.  In  1874  he  came  to  Beards- 
town, and  took  the  position  of  cashier  of  a 
private  bank;  in  1877  was  elected  cashier  of 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


255 


the  People's  Bank,  and  still  holds  that  posi- 
tion. He  married,  in  February,  1877,  Miss 
Hattie  Dutch,  daughter  of  John  R.  Dutch,  of 
Beardstown. 

WILLIAM  H.  PASCHALL,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Hancock  County, 
111.,  May  4,  1840;  and  is  a  son  of  Coleman 
and  Sarah  (Street)  Paschall,  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  parents  of  eleven  children;  he,  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  born  in  1809,  died  in 
April,  1852;  she,  born  in  1810,  died  in  18U3. 
Mr.  Paschall  received  a  fair  education,  and 
has  always  been  a  farmer  in  this  county, 
where,  Dec.  24,  1863,  he  married  Emeline 
Dunn,  daughter  of  John  Dunn,  whose  sketch 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  work;  she  was  born 
in  this  county  June  30,  1845,  and  died  Sept. 
2,  1872;  from  this  marriage  four  children 
■were  born:  Harriet  E.,  William  Robert 
(deceased),  John  Albert,  and  Mary  A.  Mr. 
Paschall  married  in  December,  1873,  Mary 
A.  Dunn,  sister  of  his  first  wife,  born  in  this 
county  March  13,  1843;  from  this  marriage 
there  has  been  born  one  child.  Myrtle.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  a  Re- 
publican. * 

HERMAN  PHILIPPI,  farmer;  Beards- 
town;  was  born  in  this  county,  April  23, 1844; 
son  of  Pompeius  Philippi,  whose  biography 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Mr.  Philippi 
received  his  education  chiefly  'in  Arenzville, 
and  has  always  been  a  farmer  in  this  county. 
He  married  April  9,  1870,  Mary  Weinhold,  a 
native  of  this  county;  born  March  2,  1847, 
daughter  of  William  and  Barbara  Weinhold; 
to  this  union  five  children  have  been  born: 
Lena,  born  May  14,  1871;  Emma  and  Einil 
(twins),  born  May  14,  1874;  Lula,  born  Doc. 
23,  1878;  and  Laura,  born  Sept.  12,  1879. 
Emil  died  Sept.  3,  1874.  Mr.  Philippi  is  a 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 

STARK  H.  PHELPS,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Bertie  County, 
N.  C,  born  Nov.  2,  1847;  son  of  William  II. 


and  Martha  (Measels)  Phelps;  parents  of 
seven  children.  William  H.  Phelps  was 
born  in  North  Carolina,  Feb.  2,  1817,  and  is 
still  living;  he  is  a  cooper  by  trade.  Stark  H. 
received  his  education  in  this  county,  and 
began  life  as  a  farmer,  which  occupation  he 
still  pursues.  In  this  precinct,  Jan.  30,  1878, 
he  married  Clara  M.  Hager;  born  Dec.  10, 
1861,  daughter  of  Lyman  and  Cornelia  (Spald- 
ing) Hager;  he,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire, 
born  Aug.  30,  1828;  she,  a  native  of  Indiana, 
born  Jan.  15,  1838,  died  Dec.  23,  1878.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Phelps  have  had  three  children: 
Herbert  E.  (died  Nov.  10,  1878),  Charles  E. 
and  Olive  M.  Mr.  Phelps  is  a  Republican; 
he  is  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  16,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
in  Beardstown,  and  is  connected  with  the 
M.  E.  Church. 

C.  E.  PARKER,  Physician,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Amherst,  Hillsboro  Co.,  N.  H., 
Oct.  4,  1813.  He  entered  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1830,  and  graduated  in  1834.  He  then 
entered  upon  a  course  of  medical  study:  first 
in  Dartmouth,  then  Harvard,  and  graduated 
from  Yale  Medical  Department  in  1837.  He 
located  at  the  Insane  Asylum,  at  Pepperell, 
Mass.,  where  he  remained  until  1855,  himself 
and  uncle  being  proprietors  of  the  establish- 
ment; also  engaged  in  general  practice.  In 
1855,  he  came  to  Beardstown,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  six  or  seven  years  in  the  drug  bus- 
iness in  Springfield,  has  practiced  in  Beards- 
town. The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
Medical  Society,  and  is  known  and  recognized 
as  one  of  the  oldest  practitioners  of  his  pro- 
fession in  the  State. 

JOHN  F.  PAPPMEIER,  jeweler,  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Jan. 
13,  1830,  and  came  to  this  country  with  his 
parents  when  four  years  of  age,  settling  in 
the  fall  of  1833,  on  a  farm  near  Beardstown 
where,  three  years  later,  Peter  Pappmeier,  the 
father,  died.  Mrs.  Pappmeier  afterward  mar- 
ried John  F.  Heinkel,  who  raised  our  subject, 


256 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  who  worked  on  the  farm  till  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  Beardstown  and 
served  three  years  at  the  jewelry  trade,  but 
his  sight  failing,  he  went  back  to  the  farm. 
In  the  meantime  his  stepfather  and  his  mother 
had  both  died.  In  1856,  he  commenced  re- 
pairing watches,  and  keeping  a  small  stock  of 
jewelry,  and  although  located  six  blocks  from 
the  business  center,  such  has  been  the  quality 
of  his  work,  that  he  has  been  exceedingly 
successful.  In  1876,  he  built  a  fine  brick  store 
and  residence;  keeps  constantly  employed 
three  persons,  and  carrying  a  large  stock  of 
clocks,  watches,  jewelry,  silverware,  etc.  In 
1851  he  married  Miss  Eliza,  daughter  of 
Clamor  Tiemeyer,  of  Beardstown  Precinct, 
and  he  has  two  sons  and  two  daughters:  John 
A.,  H.  Lewis,  Katie  E.,  wife  of  John  H.  Hag- 
ener;  and  Eida.  One  son  and  two  daughters 
are  dead.  He  owns  two  fine  farms,  and  is  al- 
so interested  in  the  culture  of  bees,  having  an 
apiary  containing  130  swarms. 

NORMAN  PARSONS,  postmaster,  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Enfield,  Hartford  County, 
Ct.,  November  6,  1811,  and  went  to  Ohio 
with  his  father  in  1815.  At  the  age  of  six- 
teen he  was  apprenticed  to  the  tannery  trade, 
and  followed  that  occupation  for  many  years, 
at  Chardon,  O.,  running  a  tannery  of  his  own 
until  185-1;  also  conducting  a  store,  a  farm, 
and  operating  in  the  real  estate  business.  He 
was  a  Colonel  of  Militia,  and  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  was  Vice-President  of  the  first 
Anti-Slavery  Society  of  Geauga  County,  and 
which  was  organized  by  Joshua  Giddings  and 
Theodore  W.  Wells,  in  1848.  In  1854,  Mr. 
Parsons  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  wagon-making  and  black- 
smithing  business  for  several  years;  he  also 
opened  a  farm  and  improved  it.  In  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Third  Illinois  cavalry,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war;  was  with 
Fremont  and  Curtis  until  after  the  fall  of 
Vicksburg;    was    mustered    out   as   Orderly, 


having  been  Sergeant,  Commissary  Sergeant, 
etc.;  was  ia  the  campaign  in  front  of 
Richmond;  was  in  the  battles  of  Pea 
Ridge,  First  Vicksburg,  Walnut  Hill,  Ar- 
kansas Post,  Nashville,  and  many  minor 
engagements;  also,  on  recruiting  service. 
Exposure  incidental  to  life  in  the  army  in- 
jured Mr.  Parsons  to  such  extent  as  to  disable 
him  for  active  labor  since.  In  1869,  he  was 
appointed  Postmaster  at  Beardstown,  which 
position  he  yet  ably  and  acceptably  fills.  In 
1836  he  married  Miss  Fannie  A.  King,  of 
Ohio,  and  two  sons  were  born  to  them:  Mel- 
bourne N.  and  William  E.  Mrs.  Parsons  died 
in  1850;  and  in  1856  Mr.  Parsons  married 
Mrs.  Sarah  C.  Saunders,  of  Beardstown.  Both 
his  sons,  and  a  step-son  served  in  the  late  war. 
Has  been  a  Congregationalist  and  Methodist 
for  over  fifty  years. 

MELBOURNE  N.  PARSONS,  assistant 
postmaster,  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Char- 
don, Geauga  County,  O.,  April  30,  1841,  and 
when  thirteen  years  old,  came  to  Beardstown, 
and  apprenticed  to  the  jeweler's  trade,  with 
John  Putinan,  with  whom  he  worked  for  four 
years  and  three  months;  then  engaged  in 
farming.  On  Aug.  19,  18G3,  he  enlisted  in 
Co.  C,  73d  111.  Vol.  Infantry,  for  three  years, 
his  company  forming  a  part  of  the  1st  Board 
of  Trade  Regiment,  raised  by  postmaster 
Scripps,  of  Chicago,  and  participated  in  a 
number  of  important  engagements  during  his 
term  of  service,  and  after  being  confined  by 
sickness  to  the  Nashville  hospital,  from  No- 
vember, 1864,  to  May,  1865,  he  was  dis- 
charged. On  his  return  from  the  army  he  be- 
gan working  at  the  painter's  trade,  which  he 
had  learned  when  a  boy,  and  followed  paint- 
ing until  1874,  when  he  became  assistant 
postmaster,  under  his  father.  On  March  21, 
1861,  he  married  Emma  F.  Ward,  of  Athens, 
III.,  who  died  Nov.  18, 1880.  By  this  marriage 
four  children  were  born,  two  of  whom  are 
living,    viz.:  Jennie   and   Willie.     April    10, 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AXD  PRECINCT. 


257 


ISS'i,  he  married  Mrs.  Loretta  H.  Robinson, 
of  Augusta,  111.  William  E.  Parsons  was 
born  in  Chanlon,  Ohio,  in  November,  18! 3  ; 
enlisted  in  April,  ISGl,  in  the  lith  111.  In- 
fantry, in  the  three  months'  service,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  re-enlisted  in  Co.  A,  of 
the  same  regiment,  for  three  years.  He  was 
poisoned  at  Rolla,  Mo.,  in  1862,  and  came 
home,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months,  joined 
his  regiment,  participated  in  several  impor- 
tant engagements,  and  after  being  confined  to 
the  Memphis  hospital  about  six  months,  was 
discharged  in  1864,  and  after  returning  home, 
died  March  17,  1864. 

JOHN  E.  PUTMAN,  jeweler,  Beardstown ; 
was  born  near  Rushville,  Schuj^'er  Co.,  111., 
April  20,  1846;  son  of  W.  B.  G.  and  Martha 
(Eliiins)  Putman,  he,  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  she,  of  Vermont.  John  E.  received  his 
education  in  Rushville,  and  in  January,  1866, 
went  to  Racine,  Wis.,  where  he  apprenticed 
to  the  jeweler's  trade,  with  his  uncle,  John 
Elkins,  and  served  three  years,  and  Feb.  25, 
1869,  came  to  Beardstown,  and  bought  the 
jewelry  store  of  H.  Christianer,  and  remained 
in  business  till  August,  1875;  then  sold  out, 
and  dealt  in  land  for  a  time  ;  bought  a  hard- 
ware store  in  Beardstown,  in  exchange  for 
land,  and  conducted  the  business  for  some 
time,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  E.  Putman  & 
Co.  He  then  secured  a  patent  for  an  im- 
provement on  seat  guards  for  harvesters, 
which  has  proved  remunerative,  and  he  is 
still  interested  in  the  introduction  of  his  in- 
vention in  different  States  and  territories. 
March  1,  1882,  he  opened  a  jewelry  store  in 
Beardstown,  and  is  doing  a  good  trade.  He 
owns  about  1,000  acres  of  land  in  this  county, 
some  in  Schuyler  County,  and  some  in  Ne- 
braska. He  married  Emma,  eldest  daughter 
of  Dr.  F.  Ehrhardt  (deceased),  April  20,  1871, 
and  as  issue  of  this  union  there  were  born 
four  sons,  two  of  whom  are  living  :  George, 
aged  eight,  and  Ralph,  aged  five  years.     Mr. 


Putman  was  elected  Alderman  of  second 
ward,  Beardstown,  in  1879,  and  served  one 
year;  elected  Mayor  in  1880,  and  served  one 
year  in  that  capacity.     He  is   a  Republican. 

CHRISTIAN  PILGER,  of  Pilger  &  Huge, 
merchant  tailors  and  clothiers.  Beards, 
town;  was  born  in  Waldeck,  Prussia,  in 
April,  1836,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  ap 
prenticed  to  the  tailor's  trade,  at  which  ha 
served  two  and  one-half  years.  He  then 
traveled  for  some  time  as  a  journeyman,  and 
in  June,  1855,  came  to  this  country  and  lo- 
cated at  Beardstown,  where  he  worked  on  a 
farm  a  short  time,  then  worked  at  his  trade 
in  St.  Louis  two  years;  returned  to  Boards- 
town  in  1857,  and  worked  at  his  trade  till 
1873,  with  the  exception  of  three  years, 
during  which  he  served  as  a  soldier  in  the 
late  war.  In  August,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Co. 
A,  114th  Ills.  Vol.  Infantry,  which  joined 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  at  Jlemphis,  under 
General  Logan,  and  remained  in  active  ser- 
vice till  August,  1865,  when  he  was  mustered 
out  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.;  dur.ng  his  terra  of 
service  he  participated  in  the  engagements 
rv)und  Memphis,  Messenger's  Ford,  Jackson, 
Miss.,  and  Brandon;  and  in  the  pursuit  of 
General  Price.  In  1873,  he  became  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Garm  &  Pilger,  in  Beardstown, 
and  carried  on  a  merchant  tailoring  and  cloth- 
ing business  under  that  name  till  1875,  when 
he  became  sole  proprietor  and  carried  on  the 
business  alone  till  Feb.  1,  1882,  when  he  took 
in  his  present  partner,  W.  F.  Huge,  the  busi- 
ness being  since  conducted  under  the  firm 
name  of  Pilger  &  Huge.  Mr.  Pilger  married 
in  1858,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Jacob 
Schuman. 

ANTON  RINK,  brewer,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  August  9, 
1838,  and  in  1850  came  to  this  country  with 
his  parents,  who  settled  on  a  farm  in  Perry 
County,  Mo.  Anton  remained  on  the  farm 
about    eight    years,   when    his    father   died, 


258 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  where  he 
boaran  learningr  the  brewinsr  business  with 
Kunz  &  Iloffineister,  with  whom  he  worked 
till  1860,  then  worked  in  a  brewery  in 
Peoria,  111.,  till  1804.  In  August  of  that 
year  he  came  to  Beardstown,  and  with  a 
partner  bought  a  small  brewery  on  La  Fay- 
ette street,  which  they  rau  under  the  firm 
name  of  A.  Rink  &  Co.,  till  1867,  then  built 
the  present  three  story  brick  building,  42x1-1:7 
feet,  at  a  cost  of  $30,000,  and  continued  busi- 
ness until  February,  1874,  when  the  partner- 
ship was  dissolved,  Mr.  Rink  becoming  sole 
proprietor,  and  he  has  since  conducted  the 
business  with  good  success.  The  establish- 
ment, which  has  a  capacity  of  fifty  barrels 
per  day,  employs  from  six  to  ten  men;  about 
1877,  Mr.  Rink  established  bottling  works; 
he  also  manages  a  retail  liquor  store  on  Park 
Row;  liis  ice  houses  have  a  capacity  of  2,000 
tons.  In  186.5  Mr.  Rink  married  Margaretha 
Schultz,  of  Beardstown;  they  have  five  chil- 
dren living. 

HENRY  RLPPEL,  dealer  in  boots  and 
shoes,  Beardstown:  was  born  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt, Germany,  Jan.  28,  1836.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  he  began  learning  the  shoe- 
maker's trade,  at  wbich  he  served  three 
years'  apprenticeship.  He  then  worked 
about  six  months  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
Germany,  afterward  conducting  a  shop  in 
his  native  village  till  1854,  when  he  emi- 
grated'to  this  country.  He  worked  at  his 
trade  for  a  time  in  New  York  City,  and  at 
Rushville,  New  York,  and  after  working  at 
various  occupations  in  different  places,  found 
employment  at  his  trade  in  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
He  left  there  in  January,  1856,  and  came,  by 
way  of  Chicago,  to  S()ringfield,  111.,  and 
worked  as  journeyman  there  until  December, 
1857,  when  he  visited  his  native  country,  re- 
turning the  following  year  to  Springfield, 
111.,  where  he  worked  for  his  former  employer 
till  1859.     He  then  carried  on   a  custom   shop 


in  Springfield,  where,  in  1860,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Weigand,  who  was  born  in  his  na- 
tive village,  Hesse-Darmstadt.  In  1861,  by 
the  failure  of  the  Illinois  banks,  he  lost  1400, 
and  again  worked  as  a  journeyman  until  1869, 
when,  in  March,  that  year,  he  came  to  Beards- 
town, where  he  and  his  brother,  Adam,  bought 
a  stock  of  boots  and  shoes,  and  carried  on 
business  in  company  till  1873,  when  Henry 
bought  out  his  brother's  interest,  and  since 
January,  1880,  has  occupied  his  present  place 
of  business,  carrying  a  large  stock  of  boots 
and  shoes,  also  doing  repairing.  His  store, 
which  is  sixty-five  by  twentv-two  feet,  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  Beardstown.  Mr.  Ruppel 
has  six  children  living. 

F.  G.  I.  RATCLIFF,  baker,  Beardstown; 
is  a  native  of  Satfordshire,  England;  born 
March  5, 18'^3.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  be- 
gan learning  the  baker's  trade,  in  Newcastle, 
Eng.,  to  which  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  three  and  a  half  years.  He  worked  at  his 
trade  at  Liverpool,  and  at  other  places  till 
18!  9,  when  he  came  to  this  country,  worked 
a  short  time  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  afterward  worked 
at  Andover,  Henry  County,  Ills.,  about  six 
months,  then  went  to  New  Orleans,  La., 
then  to  Baton  Rouge,  where  he  was  pastry 
cook  in  a  hotel  four  years.  In  1854,  he 
opened  a  bakery  in  Rock  Island,  Ills.,  which 
he  cirried  on  there  three  years,  then  came  to 
Beardstown,  where  he  has  since  carried  on 
the  bakery  business,  doing  the  principal 
wholesale  trade  of  the  town;  he  is  assisted  by 
his  two  sons,  Richard  and  Thomas.  Mr. 
Ratcliff  is  also  proprietor  of  a  barber  shop; 
he  cooked  the  first  meal  served  in  the  Park 
House,  and  held  the  position  of  cook  there 
till  1863,  when  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  native 
country.  In  Mobile,  Ala.,  in  1852,  he  mar- 
ried Rebecca  Morrow,  who  has  borne  him  ten 
children,  five  of  whom  are  living. 

CHAUNCEY  RICE,  druggist,  Beards- 
town;  was   born    in    St.    Lawrence    Count}-, 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AXD  PRECINCT. 


259 


N.  y.,  Feburary  21, 1830,  and  in  1842  came, 
with  his  parents,  to  Williams  County,  O.  In 
18i6,  removed  to  Hancock  County,  111.,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  till  the  fall  of  1849, 
and  taught  school  two  winters.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1850  he  entered  the  drug  store  of 
James  G.  McCreary,  of  Rushville,  111.,  and 
clerked  for  six  years.  In  1S5G,  he  came  to 
Beardstown,  and  entered  into  partnership 
with  E.  R.  Maxwell,  in  the  drug  business 
there.  They  conducted  a  drug  store  under 
the  firm  name  of  Rice  &  Maxwell,  till  18<)5, 
when  Mr.  Rice  bought  out  his  partner's  in- 
terest; afterward  bought  out  the  stock  of 
Henry  Menke,  and  is  conducting  the  two 
drug  stores  in  his  own  name,  his  son  James 
G.,  managing  one  store.  He  has  occupied 
his  present  site,  on  Park  Row,  for  twenty- 
three  years.  Mr.  Rice  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried. In  Hancock  County,  111.,  in  the  fall  of 
1852,  he  married  Emily  .1.  Denny,  of  Au- 
gusta, III.,  who  died  in  July,  1878,  leaving 
three  children:  James  G.,  Mrs.  H.  J.  Nead, 
of  Nebraska,  and  Chauncey  J.  In  1879,  he 
married  Elizabeth  J.  Knight,  of  Beardstown. 
James  G.  Rice,  son  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Rushville,  111.,  in  1853,  and  at  thirteen 
years  of  age  began  clerking  in  his  father's 
drug  store,  remaining  in  the  same  store  thir- 
teen years;  and  in  1879  he  became  a  member 
of  the  firm,  and  took  charge  of  a  branch  store 
on  Main  street,  which  he  has  since  conducted 
with  good  success.  He  married,  March  0, 
1882,  Eva  Shutts,  of  Camanche,  Iowa. 

HENRY  ROTES,  grocer,  Beardstown;  was 
born  in  Beardstown,  Aug.  4,  1849.  His 
father,  Henry  Rotes,  was  born  in  Oldenburg, 
Germany,  about  1811;  emigrated  to  America, 
and  worked  for  a  cotton  planter  some  time, 
then  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he  married 
Mrs.  Mary  Nolte,  ne'e  Bolte,  of  that  town,  who 
bore  him  two  children,  viz.:  Henry  (subject), 
and  Carrie,  both  living.  Subject's  father  died 
about  the  year  1SU9.     Mr.  Rotes,  at  eighteen 


years  of  age,  began  farming  on  a  part  of  his 
father's  place,  and  followed  that  occupation  till 
1876,  when  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business 
with  J.  L.  Black,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Black  &  Rotes,  for  two  years,  when  Mr.  Rotes 
sold  out  his  interest  in  the  business  to  his 
partner,  and  until  May,  1880,  worked  in  the 
boiler  shops  of  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  R.  R.,  when  he 
purchased  the  grocery  business  of  J.  L.  Black, 
on  Main  street,  and  has  since  been  engaged 
in  that  business,  meeting  with  good  success. 

HENRY  RICKS,  saloon,  Beardstown;  was 
born  near  Hamilton  Station,  this  county,  Sept. 
12,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Conrad  and  Juliana 
(Landmann)  Ricks,  natives  of  Germany.  Con- 
rad Ricks,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born 
Nov.  30, 1815,  and  died  July  10, 1877.  His  wife 
was  born  June  3, 18i2,  and  died  Aug.  29, 1877. 
They  had  five  children,  two  boys  and  three 
girls.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in 
the  "Warrior  School,"  near  Bluff  Springs,  this 
county,  and  also  attended  the  Beardstown 
school.  He  farmed  for  several  years  near 
Bluff  Springs,  and  has  for  the  past  six  years 
been  keeping  a  saloon  in  Beardstown.  In 
Virginia,  this  county,  Feb.  5,  1876,  he  mar- 
ried Minnie  Vellor,  a  native  of  this  county, 
born  May  24,  1857.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren, viz.:  .lohn  H.,  William  G.,  and  OJelia. 
Mrs.  Ricks  is  a  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Mary  Vellor;  he,  a  farmer,  born  Feb.  24, 1814; 
she,  born  Oct.  30,  1830;  both  in  Germanj-. 
Mr.  Ricks  is  a  Democrat.  His  father  came 
to  this  county  in  1842. 

W.  H.  RHINEBERGER,  carpenter  and 
builder,  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Marietta, 
O.,  June  10,  1844.  His  father  was  born  in 
New  York  State,  June  12,  1816;  was  raised 
in  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  and  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  county  since  1846;  he  is  a  carpen- 
ter by  trade,  and  is  now  engaged  as  a  con- 
tractor and  builder  in  Ashland,  this  county. 
He  has  been  twice  married;  his  first  wife, 
Julia  Dunham,  whom  he  married  in  Virginia, 


2G0 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


died  in  Marietta,  O.,  leaving  three  sons,  of 
whom  W.  H.  is  the  youngest;  his  second 
wife,  Mrs.  Martha  Morrow,  whom  he  married 
in  Beardstown,  has  borne  him  five  children. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Beards- 
town  in  1846,  with  his  father  and  grandfather, 
who  settled  on  the  land  where  the  Central 
Hotel  now  stands.  June  28, 1861,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, of  which  Grant  was  colonel,  and 
served  three  years,  participating  in  the  en- 
gagements at  Fredericktown,  Mo.,  Resaca, 
Stone  River,  and  Chickamauj>a.  He  received 
a  flesh  wound  in  tlie  neck  at  Kingston,  Ga., 
May  19,  1864,  and  on  July  9,  that  year,  was 
mustered  out  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.  After 
his  return  from  the  war,  he  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade  with  his  father,  and  in  18G7 
went  to  Linn  County,  Kan.,  where  he  owned 
a  farm,  and  worked  at  his  trade  for  eight 
years.  He  returned  to  Beardstown  in  1875, 
where  he  has  since  been  a  contractor  and 
builder,  employing  from  two  to  ten  men  on 
his  contracts.  He  has  been  twice  married; 
May  39,  1867,  he  married  Nannie  Richards, 
of  this  county,  who  died  May  13,  1879,  leav- 
ing four  children,  of  whom  two  daughters 
are  living.  June  7,  1882,  he  married  Delia 
Clark. 

W.  C.  REW,  merchant,  Bluff  Springs;  is  a 
native  of  this  county;  born  Jan.  21,  1845,  in 
an  old  log  house,  on  the  Springfield  road,  built 
by  his  grandfather,  one  of  the  first  houses  in 
this  county.  He  is  a  son  of  Bradford  B.  and 
Julia  Ann  Rew;  he,  a  native  of  New  York, 
born  Jan.  12,  1816;  died  in  Biardstown,  this 
county;  she,  born  in  Ohio,  Aug.  25,  1821;  re- 
sides in  this  county  with  her  daughter,  Jo- 
sephine Decker.  W.  C.  attended  a  school 
near  Beardstown  six  or  eight  years,  and  about 
two  years  in  Beardstown;  afterward  worked 
on  a  farm,  and  then  taught  school  for  about 
five  years.  He  married  in  Quincy,  111.,  May 
2,  1875,  .Josephine  Wither,  who   was   born   in 


this  county,  Nov,  5,  1855.  They  lived  in 
Quincy  about  eight  months,  after  which  he 
entered  into  partnership  with  Oliver  Deck- 
er, in  the  general  merchandising  business 
here.  Jan.  1,  1870,  he  bought  out  Mr.  Deck- 
er's interest,  and  has  since  carried  on  the 
business  on  his  own  account.  In  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  G,  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-fifth  111.  Infantry,  under  Capt.  Will- 
iam Weaver,  and  after  serving  five  months 
was  obliged  to  return  home  on  account 
of  ill  health.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rew  have  had 
two  children:  Mabel,  born  Nov.  30,  1879, 
and  Henry  B.,  born  March  7,  1882;  died 
March  21,  1882.  Mr.  Rew  is  a  Democrat;  is 
township  School  Treasurer  of  this  township 
(No.  18),  and  has  fo;-  many  years  been  a  mem- 
ber of  Lodge  No.  Ki,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  Boards- 
town;  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church. 

HON.  J.  HENRY  SHAW,  attorney- 
at-law,  Beardstown,  was  born  in  Boston, 
Mass.,  July  25,  1825.  His  father,  Joseph 
Shaw,  had  been  a  book-publisher  of  that  city, 
but,  meeting  with  financial  reverses,  and  pos- 
sessed with  but  small  means,  in  1836  he  re- 
moved to  Morgan  County,  Illinois,  which 
then  included  Cass  County,  and  settled  near 
Jacksonville,  where  he  pursued  farming  a 
few  years,  and  afterward,  merchandising  at 
Beardstown,  where  he  died  in  1868.  While 
he  was  living  and  working  upon  his  father's 
farm  as  a  boy  in  1837,  Henry  received  three 
weeks'  instruction  at  a  country  school,  in 
which  he  obtained  the  elements  of  the  arts  of 
reading  and  writing,  which  was  all  the  school 
education  he  ever  received;  this  was  not  he- 
cause  his  father  did  not  appreciate  the  advan- 
tages of  an  education,  but  because  all  the  as- 
sistance that  could  be  obtained  was  necessary 
to  carry  on  the  farm,  and  Henry's  education 
was  put  off  for  a  more  convenient  season;  the 
school  which  he  attended  for  so  short  a  term, 
was  held  in  a  log   cabin    in    Diamond  Grove, 


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HNIVEHSirv  ^''   'LLINOIS. 


KKARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


263 


near  Jacksonville.  There  was  a  good  school 
at  that  time  in  Jacksonville,  and  Illinois  Col- 
lege was  in  infantile  operation,  but  Henry 
was  needed  to  help  work  the  farm,  and  seemed 
destined  by  circumstances  to  grow  up  in  igno- 
rance; but  it  is  a  way  that  self- made  men  have, 
to  control  and  direct,  or  at  least  divert,  cir- 
cumstances. His  father,  being  a  practical 
printer,  was  frequeatly  called  from  his  farm 
to  assist  a  friend,  Mr.  Edwards,  in  publishing 
the  Illinois  Patriot,  a  Jacksonville  news- 
paper, and  brought  home  manv  of  the  news- 
paper exchanges  from  the  Patriot  office; 
these  were  eagerly  perused  by  Henry;  his 
taste  for  reading  increased  with  his  opportuni- 
ties, and  having  no  books  of  his  own,  and  no 
money  to  buy  any  with,  he  borrowed  of  who- 
ever had  them  who  were  willing  to  lend;  his 
time  being  occupied  in  working  on  the  farm 
in  fair  weather,  his  reading  opportunities 
were  restricted  to  rainy  days,  Sundays,  and 
nights;  often  wiiile  the  family  were  sleeping 
he  was  spending  the  silent  hours  of  the  night 
in  the  little  attic  between  the  ceiling  and  roof 
of  his  father's  log  cabin,  poring  over  a  bor- 
rowed book  by  a  dim  light  made  by  a  cotton 
rag  and  lard  or  butter  in  a  saucer.  Whenever 
his  occupation  was  of  suoii  a  nature  as  to 
allow  of  it,  he  carried  a  book  with  him,  and 
read  at  intervals  while  the  team  rested,  and 
generally  held  a  book  in  his  hand  and  read 
while  plowing — a  seemingly  difficult  task, 
but  yet  not  so  with  him;  he  generally  carried 
something  to  read  or  write  upon  wherever  he 
went,  and  improved  his  leisure  moments. 
Mills  were  scarce  in  Illinois  in  those  days, 
and  one  of  the  valuable  uses  that  young 
Shaw  was  put  to,  was  to  go  on  horseback  with 
a  sack  of  corn  and  get  it  ground  at  some  dis- 
tant niili;  Henry,  riding  upon  the  top  of  the 
sack,  was  usually  lost  in  the  mazes  of  his  bor- 
rowed book;  he  was  habituated  to  reading 
whenever  he  had  a  minute  tliat  could  be  util- 
ized for  that  purpose,  and   felt  unhappy  if  he 


sat  down  even  for  a  moment  with  nothing  to 
read;  he  read  everything  he  could  get  hold 
of,  even  scraps  of  newspapers  and  old  alma- 
nacs, and  used  to  saj'  that  he  learned  something 
from  every  scrap  of  paper  that  had  any  read- 
ing on  it.  He  was  also  in  the  habit  of  writ- 
ing down  everything  that  occurred  to  him 
as  of  sufficient  importance,  both  original 
and  selected.  As  writing  paper  cost  money, 
and  he  had  no  money  to  buy  it  with,  he  util- 
ized the  margins  of  newspapers,  the  blank 
leaves  of  books,  and  made  marginal  notes  to 
such  books  as  he  was  able  to  purchase.  The 
other  boys  in  his  neighborhood,  having  neither 
knowledge  nor  the  desire  for  it,  other  than  for 
those  things  that  appertained  to  the  usual 
avocations  and  pleasures  of  life,  derided  hira 
for  his  peculiarities,  and  he  avoided,  so  far  as 
he  could,  being  seen  by  them  with  a  book. 
Even  the  men  shook  their  heads  forebodingly 
at  him,  and  said  that  if  he  kept  on  in  this 
course  he  would  some  day  try  and  get  his 
living  without  work  and  come  to  a  bad  end. 
Indeed,  book  learning  was  contemptuously 
spoken  of  by  the  country  people,  and  it  was 
not  uncommon  for  justices  of  the  peace  and 
preachers  to  be  without  the  qualifications  of 
reading  and  writing.  The  most  of  his  youth- 
ful life  was  passed  in  this  manner,  during 
which  time  he  had  read  largely  in  history, 
ancient  and  modern  classics,  and  general  lit- 
erature and  intelligence,  and  had  begun  to 
attract  attention,  not  only  for  what  he  knew, 
but  for  his  ability  to  express  himself  in  good 
language,  either  orally  or  in  writing,  on  any 
occasion,  and  frequently  before  he  was  twenty 
years  old,  made  speeches  on  public  occasions. 
He  also,  while  yet  a  mere  plow-boy,  wrote 
articles  for  the  newspapers,  which  attracted 
the  attention  of  public  men,  and  although 
they  appeared  without  signature,  inquiries 
were  made  and  the  writer  was  sometimes 
made  known.  It  was  by  means  of  his  news- 
paper articles  that  Richard  Yates,  then  just 


L'W 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


entering  upon  his  public  career,  was  attracted 
toward  him,  and  the  acquaintance  thus  formed 
subsequently  ripened  into  a  friendship.  He 
also  cultivated  a  taste  for  writing  poetry, 
much  of  which  was  suggested  by  public  occa- 
sions in  his  vicinity,  and  many  songs  that 
were  sung  at  festivals  were  of  his  pro- 
duction, but  the  author  was  seldom  known 
by  those  who  enjayed  them,  as  he  had 
a  dread  of  being  sneered  at  as  a  coun- 
try poet.  One  of  his  articles,  which  was 
published  in  the  Jacksonville  Journal,  under 
his  usual  nom  de  plume  of  "  Hal  Heryn," 
during  the  war  with  Mexico,  is  here  inserted 
as  a  fair  specimen  of  his  boyish  muse.  The 
subject  was  suggested  to  him  by  reading  a 
letter  from  a  soldier  in  the  army,  from  Mor- 
gan county: 

THE   MORGAN   SOLDIER. 


Kefrain:  "  Bingen  on  the  Rhine." 

"  While  we  were  camped  on  the  Rio  Grande,  A.  G.  S. 
died:  a  noble  soul  as  ever  bore  musket.  His  last  mur- 
murings  were  of  somebody  by  the  name  of  Mary — his 
sister,  I  believe,  in  Morgan  county." — Taken  from  a 
Soldier's  Letter. 

Where  the  moonbeams  shimmer  brightly 

Upon  the  silvery  sand, 
And  the  little  waves  tiow  lightly 

Along  the  Rio  Grande  ; 
Where  the  breeze  a  requiem  weaves 

Among  the  wildwood  leaves, 
And  the  star-robed  rivur,  gently, 

To  the  summer  wind  upheaves, 
And  dew-tears,  pearl  like,  nestle 

In  meek-eyed  flowers  around, 
Like  fragile  spirits  drooping 

With  sorrow  to  the  ground  ; 
There  lay  a  dying  soldier, 

His  life  fast  ebbing  forth, 
And  he  had  come  from  Morgan, 

Old  Morgan  in  the  North. 
Worn  and  wasted  were  his  features 

With  a  long-enduring  pain. 
And  with  incoherent  murmurs 

Hard  he  sought  to  speak,  in  vain. 
Low  and  sad  I  bent  me  o'er  him. 


And  I  scarce  could  hear  him  say 
That  his  heart,  though  weak  and  blighted, 

Was  upon  the  northern  way. 
Then  he  whispered  of  a  cottage 

In  the  distant  prairie-land; 
And  he  said  a  weeping  sister 

Beckoned  with  a  gentle  hand  : 
I  fancied  that  he  said  his  sister, 

But  it  might  have  been  his  bride ; 
She  was  fiir  away  in  Morgan — 

Old  Morgan,  Honor's  pride. 
He  would  show  to  me  a  treasure, 

All  he  had  to  cheer  him  there ; 
'Twas  a  little  heart-shaped  ringlet 

Of  his  sister's  silken  hair  ; 
In  his  hand  he  held  it,  fondling, 

And  essayed  to  speak  a  name ; 
But  the  leaves  and  wavelets  murmured, 

And  I  sought  to  hear  in  vain. 
The  stars  looked  down  :   the  soldier  died 

Upon  the  Rio  Grande. 
His  last  look  toward  his  sister's  home 

Far  in  the  prairie-land: 
Perchance  'twas  not  his  sister, 

His  bride  it  might  have  been  : 
She  was  far  away  in  Morgan — 

Old  Morgan,  tressed  with  green. 

Upon  arriving  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  Henry,  at  the  suggestion  of  Richard 
Yates,  began  the  study  of  law,  Mr.  Yates 
lending  him  the  necessary  books,  and  encour- 
aging him  with  kind  words  to  proceed. 
These  books  he  took,  one  at  a  time,  and  read 
them  at  home  while  working  on  the  farm. 
The  same  plan  he  had  pursued  with  his  boy- 
ish studies,  he  continued  while  preparing 
for  his  professional  life.  He  utilized  the 
nights  atid  rainy  days.  Every  spare  moment 
found  him  with  a  book  in  his  hands. 
He  has  a  well-worn  copy  of  "  Gould's  Plead- 
ings," which  he  read  over  and  over  while  he 
was  plowing,  holding  the  book  in  one  hand 
and  guiding  the  plow  with  the  other,  while 
the  horses  were  held  in  place  by  a  line  over 
his  shoulder  and  under  one  arm.  He  became 
so  attached  to  this  book  that  Mr.  Yates  pre- 
sented it  to  him,  and  it  was  the  first  law-book 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINXT. 


205 


he  ever  owned.  He  occasionally  reported 
progress  to  his  friend,  and  received  further 
encourao-enient,  but  never  recited  a  lesson  to 
him,  or  received  any  instruction  beyond  a 
recornniendation  of  the  jiroper  books  to  read. 
M'^licn  he  became  twciitv-live  years  of  asje, 
notwitlistanding  he  had  continuously  labored 
on  a  farm,  he  felt  sufficiently  advanced  in 
his  studies  to  warrant  him  in  applying  for  a 
license  to  practice  law,  and  with  Mr.  Yates 
he  went  to  Springfield,  where  he  was  ex- 
amined by  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  then  removed 
to  Beardstown,  and  commenced  the  practice 
of  the  law,  where  he  has  ever  since  remained. 
During  his  many  years  of  practice,  he  con- 
tinued as  before,  a  laborious  student.  He 
has  not  confined  himself  wholly  to  the  law, 
but  has  wandered  into  the  by-paths  of  litera- 
ture, and  has  contributed  many  able  articles 
to  magazines,  newspapers,  law-journals,  etc. 
As  an  orator,  he  has  taken  a  front  rank,  and 
at  the  bar  has  met  but  few  superiors  in  the 
later  years  of  his  practice.  In  1873  he  met 
with  an  irreparable  misfortune,  which,  at 
least  in  a  measure,  blighted  his  further  aspira- 
tions. By  severe  professional  labor,  he 
brought  on  himself  a  slight  attack  of  paraly- 
sis, and  although  he  was  confined  to  his  room 
but  a  few  days,  yet  it  was  an  imperative  no- 
tice to  him  that  his  constitution  had  begun  to 
give  way  under  the  constant  mental  strain  it  had 
been  subjected  to,  and  that  he  must  change 
his  laborious  life  to  a  more  quiet  and  less 
ambitious  one.  He  was  then  but  forty-eight 
years  old,  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  at  a  time 
when  he  might  reasonably  claim  a  reward  for 
his  past  labors  and  perseverance  ;  he  was 
warned  in  this  solemn  manner,  that  he  must 
retire  to  the  shade  trees,  and  rest  among  the 
weary  toilers,  who  had  borne  the  heat  and 
burdens  of  the  field.  This  unfortunate  oc- 
currence grieved  and  disappointed  him,  as  he 
was  ambitious  of  further   distinction   among 


his  compeers,  and  hoped  to  rise  to  a  position 
among  the  highest.  But  this  result  can  hard- 
ly excite  surprise,  when  we  consider  the  cir- 
cumstance of  his  past  life.  Perhaps  no  man 
ever  achieved  an  education  and  jiosition 
under  such  apjiarendy  insurmountable  diffi- 
culties, and  no  young  lawyer  ever  had  a 
brighter  array  of  competitors  for  business  and 
glory  than  he.  He  found  practicing  in  the 
courts  where  he  must  practice,  such  men  as 
Lincoln,  Douglas,  Baker,  Yates,  Richardson, 
McConnell,  Blackwell,  Browning,  Williams, 
Walker,  Smith,  Brown,  Dummer,  and  a  host 
of  stars  of  only  a  degree  lesser  magnitude, 
and  among  these  giants  he  was  compelled  to 
parry  and  thrust  with  his  home«made  sword. 
But,  notwithstanding  his  wading  through 
Scylla  and  Charybdis,  he  had  strength  and 
nerve  enough  to  throw  stones  even  at  the 
Cyclops.  At  the  time  he  was  stricken  with 
paralysis,  he  was  getting  his  cases  ready  for 
the  August  term  of  the  Cass  Circuit  Court, 
1873,  and  was  also  preparing  an  historical 
address  for  a  meeting  of  the  "old  settlers" 
of  Cass,  Brown  and  Schuyler  Counties.  The 
attack  began  ten  days  before  court,  the  bus- 
iest time  in  the  life  of  a  lawyer.  At  the  sit- 
ting of  the  court,  although  he  was  present, 
his  brother  lawyers  kindly  attended  to 
his  business  for  him,  and  his  friends 
and  physician  advised  him  not  to  deliver 
the  address  at  the  "old  settlers"  meet- 
ing, but  as  he  had  expended  much  labor 
in  its  preparation,  he  concluded  to  deliver 
it,  which  he  did  at  great  risk  of  a  relapse. 
He  then  spent  some  months  at  the  east- 
ern sea-coast  and  mountains,  and  returned 
home  much  refreshed.  Since  then,  by  advice 
of  his  physicians,  he  has  avoided  the  more  ex- 
citing and  litigous  practice,  and  confined 
himself  mostly  to  office  business  and  consulta- 
tions. He  continues  to  read  extensively, 
and  sometimes  writes  for  the  press;  his  men- 
tal powers  are  unimpaired,  and  his  knowledge 


266 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


of  the  history  and  present  condition  of  the 
nations  and  peoples  of  the  world  is  remark- 
able. While  he  has  mingled  much  in  polit- 
ical controversies,  both  on  the  rostrum  and  in 
the  public  journals,  yet  he  has  never  made 
any  effort  to  obtain  office,  and  although  he  is 
now  the  representative  of  the  counties  of 
Cass,  Brown,  Menard  and  Mason,  in  the  State 
legislature,  yet  it  was  without  his  own  solic- 
itation. As  a  legislator,  he  is  noted  for  his 
ability  and  strict  regard  for  duty  ;  and  in  the 
committees  to  which  he  belongs,  particularly 
the  "  Judiciary, '  and  "Canals  and  Rivers," 
two  of  the  most  important,  he  is  influential 
and  indefatigable  in  his  labors,  and  constant 
in  his  attendance.  Dui-ing  the  session  of 
1880, 1881,  and  the  special  session  of  1882, 
he  labored  for  the  improvement  of  the  great 
water-ways  of  the  State,  originating  a  bill  to 
enable  steamboats  to  pass  from  St.  Louis  to 
Chicago,  offering  competition  to  the  railroads 
of  the  State,  and  thus  securing  to  producers 
cheap  transportation.  As  a  testimonial  of  his 
eminent  services  we  insert  the  following 
resolution,  passed  at  the  Cass  County  Demo- 
cratic Convention,  held  in  Virginia,  July  1, 
1882.  "Whereas,  The  Hon.  J.  Henry  Shaw 
has  ably  and  honorably  represented  this  the 
XXXVITH  Senatorial  District  as  a  member  of 
the  last  General  Assembly  of  Illinois,  be  it 
Resolved  by  this  Convention,  that  we  en- 
dorse his  action  and  conduct  in  said  last  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  and  trust  that  as  an  endorse- 
ment of  his  action  he  may  be  returned  to  the 
next  General  Assembly  as  our  representative." 
Previous  to  the  year  1873,  he  led  a  very 
active  life.  Not  a  minute  was  allowed  to  be 
wasted.  He  gave  his  time  and  labor  freely 
to  public  matters,  without  remuneration 
frequently  making  speeches  or  writing  for  the 
papers,  in  aid  of  railroad  building  and  other 
enterprises,  and  for  the  advancement  of  the 
interests  of  the  people.  He  wrote  and  pub- 
lished   many   historical  sketches  local  to  the 


Mississippi  Valley,  and  at  one  time  contem- 
plated, and  had  in  course  of  preparation,  a 
history  of  Illinois  ;  but  the  publication  of 
Davidson  and  Stuve's  excellent  work  about 
that  time,  caused  him  to  abandon  this  project. 
His  story  is  simple  and  short,  but  it  has  points 
worthy  of  record.  It  shows  that  even  a  small 
boy  may  form  a  resolution  which  will  be  a 
miignet  and  polar  star  to  him  through  life. 
That  teachers,  schools  and  colleges  may  be 
convenient  for  the  indolent,  and  advanta- 
geous as  a  luxury,  but  are  not  absolutely 
necessary  to  any  one  who  is  deter- 
mined to  get  an  education  without  them. 
Tiiat  a  person  who  has  learned  to  read,  bus 
tr.ereby  in  his  possession  a  key,  which,  by  ap- 
plication, will  unlock  all  other  sources  of 
knowledge;  that  while  circumstances  may  in- 
fluence a  man's  destiny,  yet  the  continuous 
exercise  of  his  will  in  a  great  measure  con- 
trols it.  Mr.  Shaw  has  been  identified  with 
Cass  and  Morgan  Counties  and  acquainted 
with  their  people  and  affairs,  nearly  half  a 
century,  and  has  been  one  of  the  most  influ- 
ential citizens  of  Cass  County  for  thirty 
years.  In  187G,  by  suggestion  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  by  a  resolu- 
tion of  Congress,  the  people  of  every  county 
and  city  in  the  Union  were  requested  to  ap- 
point a  suitable  person  to  deliver,  on  the 
Fourth  of  July  of  that  year,  an  oration,  con- 
taining a  brief  account  of  such  county  or 
city,  so  that  its  local  history  should  be  per- 
petuated. Mr.  Shaw  was  appointed  to  deliver 
the  oration  for  Cass  County,  which  he  did, 
giving  a  complete  history  of  it,  occupying 
two  and  a-half  hours  in  its  delivery.  And 
now,  as  api)licab.e  to  the  closing  of  this 
sketch,  we  deem  it  best  to  give  his  peroration 
on  that  occasion :  "  I  have  now  told  you,  in  a 
comparatively  short  time,  what  I  can  con- 
dense of  a  half  century's  history  of  this 
county,  nearly  all  of  which  period  has  passed 
under   my   own    personal  observation.    How 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


267 


strange  that  a  man  should  see  the  birth  and 
infancy,  and  live  on  through  the  youth,  to  the 
maturity  of  a  great  State!  How  passing 
strange  that  the  pioneer  of  the  prairie  and 
the  forest  should  witness  all  the  mysteries  of 
the  building  —  the  sub-structure  —  and  the 
super-structure:  should  with  his  own  hands, 
help,  not  only  to  lay  the  foundation  ro.'ks 
deep  in  the  soil,  but  also  to  bear  up  the 
pillars  of  strength,  and  assist  in  rearing  upon 
them  the  dome  and  pinnacle  of  an  Em- 
pire State!  But  so  it  is.  In  other  coun- 
tries, generations  after  generations  pass  away, 
and  witness  no  perceptible  change  in  their 
communities;  but  here  men  have  passed  their 
lives  in  log  cabins,  who  now  rest  from  their 
labors  in  rosewood  caskets,  enshrined  in  mar- 
ble. And  what  may  we  learn  by  to-day's 
lesson?  It  is  this,  if  no  other:  that  whatever 
condition  in  life  circumstances  may  place  us, 
to  act  well  our  part,  and  then  we  can  not 
fail  to  become  important  factors  in  the  making 
up  of  the  State  in  which  we  live.  Nations 
are  but  a  conglomerate  of  smaller  communi- 
ties, and  communities  of  individuals;  and  the 
State  looks  to  every  man  to  do  his  duty.  And 
now,  finally,  as  this  is  a  county  festival,  the 
people  of  which  are  assembled  to  celebrate 
this,  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  our  coun- 
try's independence,  let  us  ask  ourselves  this 
question:  Has  Cass  County,  during  the  near 
half  century  of  its  history,  done  its  duty  to 
the  State  and  Nation,  its  duty  to  God,  and  to 
the  great  world  of  humanity  outside  of  it — 
its  duty  to  itself  and  to  the  future  genera- 
tions that  are  to  succeed  us?  And  in  response, 
I  believe  we  can  lay  our  hands  upon  our 
hearts,  and  our  consciences  will  tell  us  that 
ihis  county,  as  a  community,  has  done  its 
duty,  and  results  show  it.  There  is  probably 
as  much  wealth,  intelligence,  and  happiness 
in  it,  present  and  prospective,  as  in  any  rural 
district  of  its  size  and  population  in  this  great 
valley.     The  patriotism  of  its  people  and  the 


integrity  of  its  magistracy  stands  unim- 
peached.  No  duty  to  the  Nation  or  to  hu- 
manity has  been  left  unperformed.  And  the 
generation  now  passing  away  can  say  to  the 
one  just  stepping  upon  the  platform:  (iro  and 
do  likewise,  and  your  reward  shall  be  equal, 
and  we  trust  even  an  hundred-fold  more 
abundant, 

LEWIS  F.  SANDERS,  real  estate  and  in- 
surance, Beardstown;  was  born  in  Loudoun 
County,  Va.,  .July  23,  1809;  son  of  Britton 
and  Mary  (Gill)  Sanders,  natives  of  Virginia, 
and  parents  of  ten  children — nine  sons  and  one 
daughter,  Lewis  F.  being  the  seventh  son. 
Britton  Sanders  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
Lewis  F.,  engaged  from  1832  to  1835  as  a  dry 
goods  clerk  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  in  Ju- 
ly of  the  latter  year,  came  to  Jacksonville,  111., 
and  soon  after  engaged  with  Dr.  Henry  H. 
Hall,  as  a  clerk  in  his  store,  near  where  Vir- 
ginia now  stands,  in  August,  1835.  In  1837, 
he  opened  a  general  store  and  carried  on  bus- 
iness on  his  own  account,  till  1839;  in  1838 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Virginia.  In 
1839,  he  moved  to  Stevenson,  now  Rock  Is- 
land, Illinois,  and  engaged  in  merchandising 
there  till  1841;  then  moved  to  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
where  he  remained  till  the  spring  of  1843, 
when  he  came  to  Beardstown.  He  was  ap- 
pointed Deputy  Circuit  Clerk;  also  acted  as 
Deputy  County  Clerk;  was  afterward  elected 
County  Clerk,  which  office  he  held  eight  years; 
has  been  twice  re-elected  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  has  held  the  office  of  Police  Magistrate 
many  years.  In  1859,  he  engaged  in  the  in- 
surance business,  and  in  addition  kept  a  gen- 
eral store  for  a  few  years.  In  1863,  he  was 
appointed  Assistant  U.  S.  Revenue  Assessor 
for  the  9th  District  of  Illinois,  which  position 
he  held  till  1865;  and  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  insurance  business.  In  1839,  he  mar- 
ried Ellen  Clendenen,  of  Morgan  County,  111., 
daughter  of  John  Clendenen,  of  Harford 
County,  Md.;  they  have  had  five  children,  two 


268 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


of  whom  are  deceased.  Mr.  Sanders  was  for- 
merly a  Whig,  now  a  Republican. 

CHARLES  M.  SPRING,  druggist.  Beards- 
town;  is  a  native  of  Pike  County,  111.,  born 
March  29,  1851,  and  at  fourteen  years  of  age, 
entered  a  drug  store  at  Naples,  Scott  Co., 
111.,  remaining  there  five  years.  He  then  en- 
gaged with  Anderson  &  Watt,  wholesale  drug- 
gists, of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  with  vrhom  he  remain- 
ed three  years,  engaged  as  traveling  salesman 
a  portion  of  the  time.  In  1872,  he  came  to 
Beardstown  and  opened  a  drug,  book  and 
jewelry  store,  on  Park  Row,  where  he  has 
since  carried  on  business,  meeting  with  good 
success.  In  1880,  in  addition  to  his  other  bus- 
iness, he  established  a  wholesale  tobacco,  ci- 
gar, confectionery  and  grocery  house,  and  the 
following  year  a  retail  grocery.  In  1882,  he 
bought  a  half  interest  in  the  Park  House,  the 
management  being  under  the  firm  name  of 
Spring  Bros.  In  1876,  he  married  Maria, 
daughter  of  E.  B.  Seward,  of  Beardstown. 

SAMUEL  SHAW,  retired;  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Cincinnati,  O.,  March  12,  1815, 
and  was  raised  in  the  village  of  Newtown,  O., 
where  he  afterward  worked  in  a  distillery  un- 
til 1838,  when  he  came  to  Exeter,  Scott 
Co.,  111.,  where  he  worked  in  a  distillery 
two  years.  He  then  moved  to  Springfield, 
111.,  where  he  remained  five  years  as  manager 
of  John  A.  Kidey  and  S.  M.  Tinsley's  busi- 
ness, and  in  1842,  in  company  with  S.  M. 
Tinsley,  built  a  500  bushel  still-house  in 
Beardstown,  where  they  ran  a  distillery  about 
four  years,  under  the  firm  name  of  Tinsley 
&  Co.  Mr.  Shaw  then  sold  out  his  interest 
in  the  distillery  to  his  partner,  and  bought  a 
tract  of  666  acres  of  land,  on  the  Sangamon 
Bottoms,  which  he  improved  and  farmed  for 
twelve  years,  and  on  which  he  raised  as  high 
as  8,000  bushels  of  potatoes  in  one  year.  He 
sold  his  lands,  returned  to  Beardstown  in 
1863,  and  is  living  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness life.     He  married  Aug.  3,  1839,  Mary  A. 


Fleming,  of  Exeter,  III.,  who  has  borne  him 
nine  children,  four  of  whom  are  living:  John, 
William,  Harry  and  Ella.  Mr.  Shaw  was  a 
director  of  the  Cass  County  Bank  for  seven 
years,  being  one  of  the  corporators  of  the  old 
Insurance  Company;  was  U.  S.  Revenue  In- 
spector for  the  Ninth  District;  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat; himself  and  family  are  members  of  the 
M.  E.  Church.  During  his  stay  in  Spring- 
field, 111.,  Mr.  Shaw's  firm  obtained  control  of 
the  first  railroad  in  the  State,  running  from 
Springfield  to  Meredosia. 

ABEL  M.  SMITH,  fisherman,  Beards- 
town; was  born  near  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  in 
March,  1823,  and  in  October,  that  year,  his 
father,  Thomas  Smith,  moved  with  his  family 
to  Illinois,  and  settled  at  Naples,  in  Scott  Co., 
then  a  part  of  Morgan  County.  Thomas 
Smith,  who  was  a  farmer,  died  when  our  sulj- 
ject  was  about  eleven  years  old.  Abel  M. 
remained  on  the  farm  till  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority, and  in  1841  went  to  New  Orleans, 
La.,  where  he  worked  at  the  plasterer's  trade 
three  years.  In  1847,  he  went  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  in  June,  that  year,  married  Mary 
M.  Redding,  of  that  city,  and  worked  at  his 
trade  there  till  1850;  then  pursued  his  trade 
in  Naples,  111.,  till  1862,  when  he  abandoned 
plastering,  having  become  crippled  by  a  fall 
which  he  had  received  in  New  Orleans,  La. 
He  then  engaged  in  fishing,  in  the  Illinois 
River,  at  Sharp's  Landing  and  vicinity,  for 
nine  years.  In  1873  he  came  to  Beardstown, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  At  Naples,  111., 
that  year,  he  built  his  family  boat,  also  a  fishing 
boat,  the  former  being  sixty-five  feet  long 
and  sixteen  feet  wide,  the  latter,  forty-two 
feet  long  and  sixteen  feet  wide.  For  the  past 
three  years  he  has  been  fishing  in  company 
with  George  Swan;  they  employ  four  men, 
and  handle  over  100,000  pounds  of  fish  annu- 
ally; their  largest  catch  was  taken  in  Mus- 
cooten  Bay,  in  August,  1878;  they  dispose  of 
their  fish  in  the  local  markets,  and  also  shio 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  TKECINXT. 


209 


to   St.  Louis,  Mo.     Mr.  Smith  has  four  chil- 
dren— three  daughters  and  one  son. 

FRANK  H.  SPRING,  Park  House,  Beards- 
town;  was  born  in  Pike  County,  111.,  in  185G; 
son  of  Joseph  M.  and  Hannah  E.  (Fisk) 
Spring'.  He  began  clerking  in  a  drug  store 
in  N.iples,  111.,  in  1809;  in  1870,  he  came  to 
Beardstown  with  his  parents,  and  in  1872  en- 
gaged as  clerk  in  C.  M.  Spring's  store,  where 
he  remained  five  years.  He  then  kept  a  drug 
store  for  two  years,  then  sold  out,  and  became 
clerk  for  his  father,  in  the  Park  House,  and 
in  February,  188:i,  bought  a  half  interest  in 
that  house,  which  is  now  conducted  under  the 
management  of  Spring  Bros.  Joseph  M. 
Spring,  subject's  father,  was  born  in  Cuyahoga 
County,  O.,  March  4,  1831;  he  came  to  Pitts- 
field,  Pike  Co.,  111.,  in  1830,  where,  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  he  took  charge  of  the 
family,  and  worked  the  farm  until  1860.  He 
then  ran  a  stage  from  Pittsfield  to  Naples, 
about  four  years;  he  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  about  three  years  in  Naples,  111., 
and  ran  the  old  Naples  House  and  the 
Strother  House  until  1870;  he  was  also  in  the 
hotel  business  in  Warrensburg,  Mo.,  a  short 
time.  He  came  to  Beardstown  in  August, 
1870,  leased  the  Park  House,  which  he  after- 
ward bought  in  1873,  and  conducted  it  for  ten 
years,  and  after  several  changes  in  the  man- 
agement, sold  it  in  February,  1883,  to  Charles 
M.  and  Frank  H.  Spring.  It  is  a  first  class 
hotel,  with  forty-five  sleeping  rooms,  five 
sample  rooms,  three  of  which  are  on  the  first 
floor,  and  all  modern  conveniences.  Joseph 
M.  Spring  married,  March  2, 1849,  Hannah  E. 
Fisk,  of  Maysville,  Pike  Co.,  111.;  they  have 
had  six  children:  Sylvester  Omar,  Charles 
Merrick,  Frank  Howard,  Lucy  E.,  wife  of  H. 
G.  Unland,  of  Beardstown,  Elmer  Ellsworth, 
and  a  daughter,  deceased.  Joseph  M.  Spring's 
father,  Sylvester  O.  Spring,  located  in  Ohio, 
in  1819,  and  married  Frances  Merrick,  of 
Pittsfield,  Mass.;  he  died  in  1839;  she,  about 


the  year  1865;  they  had  two  sons  and  four 
daughters. 

THEODORE  SCHAAR,  manufacturer  of 
accordeons,  Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Prussia; 
born  Dec.  8,  1845.  His  father  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  accordeons,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
Theodore  began  learning  the  trade  with  him, 
and  worked  with  him  till  he  was  twenty-two 
years  old.  In  1867,  he  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  and  conducted  a  shop  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  two  years.  In  1869,  he  returned  to 
Europe,  and  was  married  in  his  native  town,  to 
Johanna  Kuehn,  in  January,  1870;  and  the 
Franco-Prussian  War  then  breaking  out,  he 
was  obliged  to  remain  in  Prussia  till  1871. 
He  then  returned  to  the  United  States  and 
came  to  Beardstown,  in  July,  that  year,  and 

has  since  been  enofasced  there  in  the  manu- 
re o 

facture  of  accordeons,  and  the  repairing  of 
all  kinds  of  musical  instruments,  employing 
at  one  time  five  hands,  and  at  present,  two, 
the  mouldings  being  manufactured  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  His  instruments  find  ready  sale, 
both  wholesale  and  retail;  he  manufactures 
on  an  average,  forty-five  dozen  instruments 
annuallv. 

WERNER  STEUERNAGEL,  merchant; 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Altenburg,  Hesse- 
Darmstadt,  Germany,  Dec.  10,  1837;  and  in 
1854,  he  came  to  the  United  States  with  his 
parents,  who  settled  at  Wheeling,  W.  Va. 
In  1855,  he  engaged  as  cabin  boy  on  an  Ohio 
River  steamboat,  and  followed  that  occuj)a- 
tion  over  two  years;  he  then  conducted  a 
restaurant  in  Jacksonville,  111.,  for  five  years, 
and  in  1862  came  to  Beardstown,  and  engag- 
ed in  business.  In  1864,  he  opened  a  grocerj' 
store,  which  was  burned  in  September,  that 
year,  but  late  in  the  same  year  he  again 
started  in  business;  in  1868,  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  J.  L.  Black,  with  whom  he 
continued  in  business  six  years,  then  bought 
out  Mr.  Black's  interest,  and  has  since  carried 
on  the  business  alone.     He  has  occupied  the 


270 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


same  site  on  State  street  since  1868;  the 
building  is  brick,  tvvo  stories  high,  the 
lower  story  containing  a  general  stock  of 
groceries,  glass,  queensware,  wooden  and 
willow-ware.  In  .Jacksonville,  111.,  in  1859, 
he  married  Margaret  Kelly,  of  New  York. 

ROBERT  SCHMOLDT,  proprietor  of  saw- 
mill and  lumber  dealer,  Beardstown;  was 
born  in  the  village  of  Ritsch,  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, Aug.  2, 1830,  the  eighth  son  of  a  family 
of  fourteen  children,  born  to  Hermann  and 
Margaret  (Eilraann)  Schmoldt.  His  father 
was  a  large  land-owner  and  farmer  in  Han- 
over. Mr.  Schmoldt  received  a  fair  educa- 
tion, and  assisted  in  the  farm  work,  his  father 
being  in  feeble  health.  At  nineteen  years  of 
age  he  shipped  at  Hamburg,  Germany,  as  a 
seaman,  and  sailed  for  two  years  between 
Europe  and  America,  making  several  trips. 
In  1853,  he  was  married  by  the  American 
Consul,  at  Hamburg,  to  Johanna  Blohm,  a 
native  of  Hanover,  and  came  to  the  United 
States  and  located  in  New  York.  He  sailed 
on  a  coast  schooner  during  the  summer,  and 
afterward  worked  in  a  sugar  refinery.  In  Ju- 
ly, 1853,  he  came  to  Beardstown,  where  he 
worked  at  various  employments  for  one  or 
two  years,  then  bought  eighty  acres  of  wild 
land  in  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  which 
he  farmed  for  seven  years,  with  good  success, 
and  in  18U0  paid  a  three  months'  visit,  with  his 
family,  to  his  native  land.  From  1863  to  1869, 
he  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Beardstown; 
then  sold  out  his  store  and  engaged  in  the  mill- 
ing business,  buying  his  present  saw-mill  on 
Muscooten  Bay,  of  W.  Weaver,  and  has  since 
run  the  mill,  buying  his  logs,  which  are  rafted 
down  the  river.  The  mill  cuts,  on  an  average, 
four  thousand  feet  daily,  and  gives  employ- 
ment to  seven  men.  He  established  lumber 
yards  on  Third  street,  in  1881.  He  still  owns 
considerable  land  in  this  county.  He  has 
five  sons  living. 

FIELD  SAMPLE,  Virginia  House,  Beards- 


town ;  was  born  near  Jacksonville,  Morgan 
Co.,  111.,  March  26,  1828,  where  he  lived  on  a 
farm  till  1879.  At  twenty-one  years  of  age 
he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  which 
occupation  he  followed  till  18'('9,  when 
he  rented  his  land  and  came  to  Beards- 
town. In  addition  to  farming,  he  had  fol- 
lowed brick-making  for  eleven  years.  In 
1879,  he  and  his  brother,  F.  M.  Sample, 
bought  the  furniture  and  fixtures  of  the 
Virginia  House,  which  they  ran  under  the 
firm  name  of  Sample  Bros.,  till  May,  1883, 
when  F.  M.  retired,  leaving  Field  sole  propri- 
etor. Mr.  Sample  was  twice  elected  Coroner  of 
Morgan  County,  111.,  and  also  served  as  Deputy 
Sheriff  of  that  county.  In  1857,  in  Morgan 
County,  111.,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
David  Ribelin,  a  farmer  of  that  county.  They 
have  had  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing. John  Sample,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Warren  County,  Ky.,  about  1797, 
and  when  fourteen  years  old,  came  to  Bond 
County,  111.,  with  his  parents,  who  settled 
there.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  In 
Bond  County,  111.,  about  the  year  1816,  he 
married  Sarah  Prewitt,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
and  in  1824  he  settled  on  a  farm  near  Jack- 
sonville, where  he  resided  the  remainder  of 
his  life;  he  died  in  1869,  aged  seventy-two 
years.  He  served  as  County  Commissioner 
of  Morgan  County  for  three  years;  he  was  a 
Democrat.  Field  is  the  seventh  child  of  a 
family  of  nine  sons  and  four  daughters,  of 
which  six  sons  and  two  daughters  are  living. 
JOHN  W.  SEAMAN,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown ;  was  born  in  JeiFerson  County, 
Va.  (now  West  Virginia),  Sept.  21,  1820;  son 
of  Joseph  J.  and  Nancy  A.  (Deaver)  Seaman. 
Joseph  J.  Seaman  was  born  Jan.  19,  1793;  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  a  carpenter  and  boat 
builder,  and  died  March  19,  1850;  his  wife  is 
also  deceased;  they  had  two  children:  Isaac 
and  John  W.  Mr.  Seaman  received  but  a 
limited   education,  attending  school  a  short 


BEARDSTOWN-CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


271 


time  at  Beardstown  and  Rushville.  He  first 
worked  as  a  carpenter  in  Springfield,  111.,  for 
some  time;  afterward  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  in  Beardstown  for  nine  years,  and 
has  since  followed  farming  in  this  county.  In 
Beardstown,  Nov.  9,  1848,  he  married  Mary 
E.  Thompson;  born  Jan.  14,  18'28,  daughter 
of  George  B.  and  Hannah  Thompson.  By 
this  union  they  have  been  blessed  with  the 
following  children:  Anna,  Harriet  (deceased), 
John  W.,  Hannah,  Cora  B.,  Frank  (deceased), 
Charles  (deceased),  George  W.,  Frederick 
and  Bertha.  Mr.  Seaman  is  a  member  of  Ark 
Lodge,  No.  23,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  in  Beards- 
town; he  was  a  Constable  for  some  time;  was 
Road  Supei-visor,  School  Director  and  School 
Trustee  from  1874  to  1879;  he  is  a  Democrat. 

Z.  T.  SMITH,  surgeon  dentist,  Beardstown; 
was  born  in  Hart  County,  Ky.,  May  16,  1849, 
and  being  left  an  orphan  when  very  young, 
was  taken  by  his  sister  to  her  home  in  Clay 
County,  Mo.,  where  he  lived  till  he  was  six- 
teen years  of  age,  and  received  a  good  educa- 
tion in  the  William  Jewell  College.  He  then 
went  to  Virden,  Macoupin  Co.,  111.,  where  he 
studied  dentistry,  with  Dr.  G.  W.  Dillon, 
about  three  years.  In  1869,  he  came  to 
Beardstown,  where  he  has  since  practiced 
dentistry,  with  the  exception  of  the  years 
1871-3.  For  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been 
located  on  State  street. 

RICHARD  TINK,  farmer;  P.  O.  Beards- 
town; is  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England;  born 
Sept.  33,  1834;  son  of  Samuel  and  Catharine 
(Mutton)  Tink,  also  natives  of  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, and  both  still  living.  Samuel  Tink,  a 
farmer,  was  born  March  4,  1797;  his  wife  was 
born  in  1807;  they  are  the  parents  of  ten 
children.  Richard  received  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  country,  and  began 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  has  remained  in  that  oc- 
cupation ever  since  on  the  place  where  he 
now  resides.  In  Beardstown,  this  county, 
Nov.  14,  1861,  he  married  Mary  Mutton,  a  na- 


tive of  Cornwall,  England,  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Elizabeth  Mutton;  three  children 
have  been  born  from  this  union:  Edmund  S., 
Richard  G.,  and  Cora  E.  Mr.  Tink  is  con- 
nected with  the  M.  E.  Church;  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Ark  Lodge,  No.  33,  A.  F  &  A.  M.,  and 
also  of  the  I.  0.  O.  F.,  in  Beardstown;  is  a 
Republican;  has  been  School  Director  during 
the  years  1877-78-79,  and  has  been  Super- 
visor of  Roads  some  time. 

DAVID  P.  TREADWAY,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  this  county,  July  36, 
1845;  son  of  Lawson  H.  and  Catharine  J. 
(Pittner)  Treadway.  Lawson  H.  Treadway 
was  a  native  of  Maryland;  born  March  21, 
1816;  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer, 
and  died  in  November,  1868;  his  wife,  born 
in  Tennessee,  Dec.  23,  1814,  is  still  living; 
they  had  five  children.  David  P.  receiv- 
ed his  education  mainly  in  this  precinct; 
also  attended  the  schools  at  Concord  and 
Beardstown,  and  has  always  been  a  farmer. 
During  the  late  war  he  served  one  year  and 
eight  months  in  the  Fourteenth  111.  Infan- 
try, under  General  Howard,  his  company 
being  commanded  by  Capt.  Gillespie.  He 
was  married  in  Beardstown,  Nov.  20,  1867,  to 
Mary  H.  Chalfant,  born  in  Beardstown,  Aug. 
14,  1849,  who  has  borne  him  five  children: 
Lucia  v.,  Anna  L.,  Harry  C,  Walter  A.  and 
Edgar  V.  Mrs.  Treadway  is  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  .1.  and  Ann  E.  Chalfant,  natives  of 
Wheeling,  W.  Va.;  he  was  born  March  5, 
1823,  and  she  was  born  Nov.  33,  1829.  Mr. 
Treadway  is  a  Republican;  is  now  School 
Trustee,  and  has  been  School  Director  several 
years;  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

LEWIS  TREADWAY,  Central  Hotel, 
Beardstown;  was  born  near  Monroe,  in  this 
county,  March  3, 1837,  and  came  to  Beardstown 
with  his  parents  in  1843.  His  father,  John 
Treadway,  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  a 
cooper  by  trade,  with  whom  the   son  learned 


272 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


that  trade,  and  at  which  he  (our  subject)  worked 
until  18G4,  running  a  shop  of  his  own  for  four 
years  in  Beardstown,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  merchandising  for  thirteen  years,  traveling 
for  a  house  in  Peoria  two  years.  In  1874  he 
bought  the  old  Palmer  House,  which  he  ran 
five  years,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  He 
built  the  present  Central  Hotel  on  its  site, 
which  contains  twenty-one  large  rooms  for 
guests,  a  sample  room  and  all  modern  conveni- 
ences. The  father  and  three  uncles  of  our  sub- 
ject were  in  the  war  of  1812.  In  December, 
18:^2,  the  father  married  Miss  Rebecca  Mc- 
Kane,  of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  who  bore  her  hus- 
band eleven  children.  The  old  couple  are 
still  living,  he,  in  his  eighty-seventh,  and  she, 
in  her  eighty-second  year. 

SETH  J.  THOMPSON,  Beardstown  Ferry, 
Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  this  county;  born 
in  Monroe  Precinct,  June  8, 1840.  George  B. 
Thompson,  subject's  father,  was  born  in 
Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  23,  1800,  and 
married  in  New  York,  Hannah  Beers,  who 
bore  him  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  He 
came  to  Monroe  Precinct  in  1839,  moved  from 
his  farm  there  in  1812,  and  after  various 
changes  of  location  and  occupation,  he  and 
his  son  went,  in  1850,  via  the  overland  route, 
to  California  and  Oregon,  remaining  twenty- 
one  months,  and  returned  via  Nicaragua  and 
New  Orleans,  staying  ten  days  in  Havana, 
Cuba,  during  the  Walker  Expedition.  He 
run  the  Beardstown  ferry  from  1852  to  1858, 
then  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  till  1863, 
our  subject  assisting  in  the  forwarding  and 
commission  business,  and  afterward  engaged  in 
glass  and  queensvvare  business  several  years, 
and  also  in  farming  three  years;  he  died  June 
2,  1872.  Our  subject  enlisted  Oct.  18,  1861, 
in  Co.  G,  32d  111.  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  three  years  in  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee; was  first  duty  Sergeant,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  near  Rome,  Ga.,  Oct.  24,  1864.  He 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  the  sieges 


of  Corinth  and  Vicksburg,  and  the  Meridian 
Raid.  After  his  return  from  the  war,  he 
worked  awhile  on  the  Beardstown  Ferry,  af- 
terward, in  company  with  Luther  A.  Jones, 
ran  it  for  five  and  one-half  years,  then,  in 
company  with  John  W.  Seaman,  for  two  years, 
and,  from  1873  to  July,  1881,  ran  it  in  compa- 
ny with  John  Rohn,  he  having  bought  Sea- 
man's interest;  since  that  time  it  has  been 
controlled  by  Thompson  &  Co.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son was  licensed  as  pilot  and  captain  on  the 
river  from  St.  Louis  to  La  Salle  in  1872,  and 
has  run,  almost  every  season  since,  on  various 
steamboats.  He  married,  Dec.  7,  1860,  Addie 
Rahn,  of  Beardstown. 

EDWARD  N.  TREADWAY,  farmer; 
P.  O.,  Beardstown;  is  a  nafive  of  Ohio;  born 
Feb.  23,  1825,  son  of  Edward  and  Elizabeth 
(Anderson)  Treadway,  natives  of  Maryland, 
and  parents  of  seven  children.  Subject's 
father,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was 
born  in  1783,  and  died  in  1858.  Edward  N. 
received  his  education  in  Monroe  Precinct, 
this  county,  and  has  since  followed  farming 
here.  He  married,  Dec.  2,  1851,  Louisa  J. 
Sallee,  who  died,  Nov.  8,  1867,  leaving  three 
children:  Elizabeth  J.,  NorrisA.,  and  Edward 
L.  On  March  27,  1860,  he  married  his  pres- 
ent" wife,  Sarah  F.  Phelps,  born  in  Septem- 
ber, 1841,  daughter  of  William  and  Martha 
A.  Phelps,  and  from  this  marriage  ten  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  Louisa  E.,  Caroline  B., 
Martha  A.,  William  Henry,  Sarah  F.,  Edward 
N.,  Hans  A.,  Margaret,  Annie  G.,  and  an  in- 
fant, unnamed.  Mr.  Treadway  is  a  Democrat, 
a  member  of  Lodge  No.  16,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in 
Beardstown,  and  is  connected  with  the  M.  E. 
Church. 

JOHN  W.  THOMPSON,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, in  1827;  only  child  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
Thompson,  natives  of  England;  he,  a  carpen- 
ter by  trade,  deceased;  she,  died  in  this  coun- 
ty in  1842.     Mr.  Thompson  received  his  edu- 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


cation  in  England,  where  he  afterward  work- 
ed in  a  cotton  factory.  In  18J:3  he  came  to 
this  country,  where  he  has  since  followed 
farming.  He  is  one  of  the  most  prominent 
farmers  of  this  county,  where  he  owns  612 
acres  of  land;  the  somewhat  famous  "Clear 
Lake,"  of  this  county,  is  mostly  owned  by  him. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church;  was 
School  Trustee  in  1863-4;  he  is  a  Democrat. 
HENRY  G.  UNLAND,  merchant,  Beards- 
town;  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  April 
14,  1844,  and  in  the  spring  of  the  following 
year  was  brought  to  this  country  by  his  par- 
ents, who  settled  on  a  farm  in  Arenzville 
Precinct,  this  county,  his  father  entering  a 
large  tract  of  wild  prairie  land  there.  Mr. 
Unland  lived  on  the  farm  till  he  attained  his 
majority,  then  attended  the  Central  Wesley- 
an  University,  at  Warrenton,  Mo.,  for  two 
years,  afterward  was  clerk  in  the  general 
store  of  Leonard  Bros.,  Beardstown,  for  two 
years,  then  clerk  for  Kuhl  Bros,  about  two 
years.  In  1872,  he  became  a  partner  in  the 
firm  of  J.  H.  Pieper  &  Co.,  remaining  iu 
that  firm  until  1874,  when  he  engaged  in 
business  on  his  own  account,  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  State  streets.  After  conducting 
the  store  for  a  time  himself,  the  management 
became  H.  G.  Unland  &  Bros.,  and  since 
1877  C.  H.  Unland  has  managed  the  business, 
which  has,  since  February,  1880,  been  carried 
on  in  the  Seeger  Block,  the  corner  room 
being  devoted  to  groceries  and  drugs,  our  sub- 
ject having  charge  of  the  grocery  department. 
In  Beardstown,  in  November,  1873,  Mr.  Un- 
land married  Lucy  E.,  daughter  of  Joseph  M. 
Spring,  of  Beardstown.  Casper  H.  Unland, 
Dur  subject's  father,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Osnabruck,  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Sept.  29, 
1808,  and  followed  farming  in  his  native 
country.  In  January,  1845,  he  landed  in 
New  Orleans,  La.,  having  left  Europe  Oct.  4, 
1844.  He  settled  on  100  acres  of  land  near 
Bluff  Springs,  this  county,  and  engaged  in 


farming  there  five  years.  He  then  sold  that 
farm  and  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land 
in  Arenzville  Precinct,  this  county,  which  he 
still  owns,  and  where  he  lived  until  1876,  with 
the  exception  of  three  years,  during  which  he 
resided  in  Beardstown,  in  order  to  give  his 
children  an  education,  then  moving  back  to 
his  farm,  a  school  house  having  been  built  in 
the  vicinity,  of  which  he  was  Director  for 
some  years.  He  owns  the  general  store  in 
Beardstown  managed  by  his  three  sons;  he 
also  has  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
in  Arenzville  Precinct.  In  October,  1829,  he 
married  Mary  Carls,  also  a  native  of  Osna- 
bruck, Hanover.  Of  their  eleven  children, 
eight  were  born  in  Europe,  and  three  in  this 
country.  Nine  children  are  living,  eight 
sons  and  one  daughter. 

DR.  WILLIAxM  G.  UNLAND,  Beards- 
town; is  a  native  of  this  county:  born  near 
Bluff  Springs,  in  July,  1846,  and  was  raised 
on  a  farm.  He  attended  the  Beardstown 
schools  four  years,  Quincy  College  one  year, 
and  four  years  at  the  Wesleyan  College  at 
Warrenton,  Mo.  In  1869  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine  with  Drs.  Smith  and  Cook, 
of  Quincy,  111.,  and  in  1870  entered  the  St. 
Louis  Homeopathic  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  where  he  took  a  course  of  lectures, 
and  completed  his  studies  in  the  Hahnemann 
Medical  College,  Chicago,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  the  spring  of  1871.  He  then 
practiced  for  a  year  in  Pittsfield,  111.,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1872  went  to  Europe,  and  con- 
tinued his  medical  studies  in  the  universities 
of  Berlin  and  Vienna  for  over  a  year,  and  on 
his  return,  in  1873,  located  at  Quincy,  III. 
He  remained  there  but  a  short  time,  then 
moved  to  Lincoln,  Neb.,  where  he  remained 
two  years;  afterward  spent  about  two  years 
in  Pekin,  III.,  and  in  March,  1880,  came  to 
Beardstown  where  he  has  since  been  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business  in  connection 
with  the  practice  of  his  profession. 


274 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HERMAN  H.  UNLAND,  merchant, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  what  is  now  Monroe 
Precinct,  this  county,  May  12,  1848.  At 
eighteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the  Central 
Wesleyan  University,  of  Warrenton,  Mo., 
where  he  spent  three  years,  1867-70,  then  en- 
tered the  Northwestern  University  at  Evans- 
ton,  111.,  from  which   he  graduated  in    June, 

1875.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  became  prin- 
cipal of  the  High  School  at  Pekin,  111.,  which 
position  he  held  for  a  year;  and  in  the  fall  of 

1876,  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  H.  G. 
Unland  &  Bros.,  which  carried  on  business  for 
a  year  under  that  name.  He  then  engaged 
with  C.  H.  Unland,  and  since  1880  has  had 
charge  of  the  dry  goods  department  of  his 
store.  In  1876,  he  married  Emma  Smith,  of 
Will  County,  111.;  they  have  two  children. 

JOHN  H.  UNLAND,  farmer;  P.O.,  Beards- 
town;  is  a  native  of  Germany;  born  July  30, 
1833;  son  of  Casper  H.  and  Mary  (Carls) 
Unland,  natives  of  Germany;  he,  still  living, 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  born  in  1808  ;  she, 
born  in  1811;  parents  of  thirteen  children. 
John  H.  attended  school  in  Weimar,  Ger- 
many, three  years,  and  also  about  one  year 
here,  and  began  farming  in  this  county,  and 
has  ever  since  followed  that  occupation.  He 
married,  in  this  county,  Nov.  19,  1857,  Eliza- 
beth Christianer,  born  in  Germany,  in  1830, 
daughter  of  Jost  H.  and  Angel  Christianer; 
they  have  had  nine  children:  George  H.,  Lu- 
cinda,  Mary,  Henrietta,  Frank  J.,  Henry  W., 
William  F.,  Louis  (deceased),  and  an  infant, 
(deceased).  Mr.  Unland  is  a  Republican,  and 
a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

JOSEPH  WEAVER,  contractor  and  brick- 
layer, Beardstown;  was  born  in  Putnam  Coun- 
ty, Ind.,  Oct.  22,  1832.  George  W.  Weaver, 
subject's  father,  was  born  in  Fluvanna  Countj^, 
Va.,  and  moved  to  Kentucky  when  a  boy; 
in  1833  he  came  with  his  family  to  this 
county,  then  Morgan  County,  settling  on  a 
farm    in    Jersey  Prairie,  where    he  lived    for 


many  years;  he  also  lived  several  years  in 
Virginia,  this  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
brickmaking;  he  built  the  Virginia  Seminary. 
He  came  to  Beardstown  about  the  year  1850, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  milling  and  lumber 
business  about  fifteen  years.  He  served  one 
term  as  County  Judge  of  this  county,  some 
time  between  1840  and  1850,  and  was  Mayor 
of  Beardstown  for  three  terms.  He  retired 
from  business  life  several  years  before  his 
death,  which  occurred  March  8,  1881,  he  being 
then  in  his  seventy-seventh  year.  His  wife, 
Martha  Carver,  bore  him  twelve  children,  of 
whom  three  sons  and  four  daughters  are  liv- 
ing, Joseph  being  the  eldest  living  son.  Our 
subject  learned  the  trades  of  bricklaying 
and  brickmaking  with  his  father,  and  took  bis 
first  contract  in  Beardstown,  in  1856,  and  has 
since  been  contractor  and  foreman  on  brick 
work  there,  with  the  exception  of  four  years, 
which  he  spent  in  Hancock  County,  111.  In 
Beardstown,  in  April,  1862,  he  married  Mary 
Collins,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Thalia 
(Beard)  Collins.  Edward  Collins  was  born  in 
Enfield,  Ct.,  in  1797,  and  in  1836  moved  with 
his  family  to  a  farm  in  Beardstown  Precinct, 
this  county,  where  he  farmed  until  about 
twelve  years  before  his  death,  spending  his 
last  years  in  Beardstown;  he  died  in  1803; 
his  wife  died  in  1860.  He  came  to  Beards- 
town from  Ohio  in  1832. 

SAMUEL  WORTMAN,  blacksmith,  BlufiF 
Springs;  was  born  in  Rush  County,  Ind.,  May 
16,  1829.  His  parents.  Smith  W.  and  Mary 
(Wagoner)  Wortman,  both  died  in  1859;  his 
father  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina;  his 
mother  of  Bourbon  County,  Ky.;  they  had  six 
children,  five  boys  and  one  girl.  Samuel  re- 
ceived but  a  limited  education,  attending 
school  in  Rush  and  Shelby  Counties,  Ind.  He 
worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Sangamon 
County,  111.,  about  a  year,  then  came  to  this 
county,  where  he  has  since  remained,  and 
where  he  was    married,  Oct.  17,  1852,  to  Es- 


BEARDSTOWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


275 


ther  Taylor,  a  native  of  this  county,  born 
April  16,  1833,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
Taylor;  he,  still  living,  she,  deceased.  By 
this  union  seven  children  have  been  born: 
Eliza  J.,  Amos  (deceased).  Levy  (deceased), 
Francis  M.,  Ann  E.  (deceased),  Marvin  T.  and 
Alice  L.  Mr.  Wortnian  is  a  Democrat;  his 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

HENRY  WITTE,  farmer;  R  O.  Beards- 
town;  is  a  native  of  Prussia;  born  Aug.  !J, 
IS'Zi;  son  of  Frederick  W.  and  MenaO.  (Esa- 
raann)  Witte;  he,  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
died  in  Beardstown,  in  1870,  where  his  wife 
also  died,  in  1868;  they  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children.  Henry  received  a  good  educa- 
tion, having  attended  the  schools  of  Germany 
seven  years;  he  engaged  in  railroading,  and, 
also  served  two  years  as  a  soldier  in  Prussia, 
in  the  loth  Regiment  of  Volunteers,  under 
Capt.  August  Menkoff.  He  has  since  follow- 
ed farming.  In  Beardstown,  this  county, 
April  3,  1856,  he  married  Mena  Vette,  born 
in  Prussia,  April  2,  18o-±,  daughter  of  Freder- 
ick and  Crystal  Vette,  and  from  this  union 
eight  children  have  been  born:  Henry  W., 
Caroline  (deceased).  Bertha,  Anna,  Maria, 
Louise,  Edward  (deceased)  and  Mena.  Mr. 
Witte  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church; 
he  is  a  Republican. 

REV.  W.  WEIGAND,  Beardstown;  was 
born  in  Zanesville,  O.,  in  April,  1852;  son  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  Weigand.  In  1854  his 
parents  moved  to  Mt.  Sterling,  Brown  Co., 
111.,  where  our  subject  lived  till  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  entered  upon  his  pre- 
paratory course  at  St.  Francis'  Seminary,  Mil- 
waukee, Wis.,  and  completed  the  course  at  St. 
Joseph's  Ecclesiastical  College,  at  Teutopolis, 
111.,  in  1873.  In  1875,  he  entered  Mt.  St. 
Mary's  Theological  Seminary,  Cincinnati,  0.> 
from  which  he  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1878, 
receiving  the  major  and  minor  orders,  and 
that  of  Deacon,  from  Archbishop  Purcell,  of 
Cincinnati,  O.     He  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 


hood, Nov.  10,  1878,  by  Bishop  Baltes,  of 
Alton,  III.,  and  in  December  of  the  same  year 
was  established  Rector  of  St.  Alexius  Church, 
of  Beardstown,  where  he  has  since  oiBciated; 
has  established  a  parish  school,  and  freed  the 
church  from   debt. 

DAVID  WAGNER,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Beards- 
town; was  born  in  Monroe  County,  O.,  July 
26,  1823,  and  is  the  only  surviving  child  of  a 
family  of  seven  children,  born  to  John  and  Je- 
mima (Carr)  Wagner.  John  Wagner,  who 
was  a  blacksmith,  and  also  a  sickle,  scythe  and 
axe  maker,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  179-1; 
his  wife  was  a  native  of  Monroe  County,  O. 
Mr.  Wagner  attended  school  but  little,  but 
being  an  extensive  reader,  stored  his  mina 
with  useful  information.  He  early  engaged 
in  farming,  which  occupation  he  still  follows. 
He  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife, 
Sarah  E.  Blake,  whom  he  married  March  8, 
1849,  bore  him  four  children:  John,  Sarah  J., 
William,  and  Rufus;  the  latter  deceased.  His 
present  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eliza 
J.  Brown,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  daughter 
of  John  and  Polly  Brown;  from  this  second 
marriage  six  children  have  been  born:  Mary 
Ann  (deceased),  Adeline,  Fannie,  Fratiklin, 
Charles,  and  Ida.  Mr.  Wagner  was  formerly 
a  Whig,  and  is  now  a  Republican;  he  was  for 
several  j'ears  Road  Supervisor,  and  also  School 
Director. 

DR.  DAVJD  WHITNEY,  retired  dentist, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Franklin  County, 
Mass.,  Jan.  29,  1803,  and  was  educated  in 
Conway,  his  native  town.  At  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine, 
and  graduated  from  the  Pittsfield  College,  in 
1831.  In  1832,  he  removed  to  western  New 
York,  practiced  his  profession  six  years,  and 
then  moved  to  Indiana,  where,  his  health  fail- 
ing, he  relinquished  medicine  partly,  and 
practiced  dentistry  till  1856,  when  he  remov- 
ed to  Beardstown,  where  he  has  since  remain- 
ed,   having    practiced    dentistry    for    twenty 


276 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


years;  during  the  last  six  years,  however,  he 
has  retired  from  active  practice.  In  1826,  he 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  S.  Granger,  of  North 
Hadley,  Mass.,  and  seven  children  v?ere  born 
to  them,  three  of  vehom  are  dead.  Those  liv- 
ing are:  Cornelia,  Mrs.  Wallsworth,  Ellen, 
Benjamin  R.,  civil  engineer,  David  V.,  physi- 
cian. For  many  years  Mrs.  Whitney  has  made 
a  study  of  geology  and  archaeology,  and  has 
one  of  the  finest  collections  of  fossils  and 
prehistoric  implements  in  the  State.  The 
Doctor  is  a  Baptist,  and  Mrs.  Whitney  is  a 
Congregation  alist. 

HENRY  B.  WILSON,  grain  merchant, 
Bijardstown;  was  born  in  Bertie  County,  N. 
C,  Sept.  3,  1829,  and  is  the  eldest  of  a  family 
of  eleven  children,  born  to  James  D.  and 
Sallie  (Mizell)  Wilson.  James  D.  Wilson  was 
born  in  North  Carolina,  Jan.  9,  1806;  he  was 
a  cooper  by  trade;  and  in  1851  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Arenzville  Precinct,  this  county, 
where  he  died  in  1857;  he  was  married  in 
October,  1838,  to  Sallie  Mizell,  who  died  in 
February,  1881,  age  73  years;  of  their  eleven 
children  all  are  living,  save  one  son.  Mr. 
Wilson  learned  the  cooper's  trade  with  bis 
father,  and  worked  at  it  in  his  native  State; 
after  his  father's  death  he  worked  the  farm 
until  1860;  he  then  came  to  Beardstown,  and 
after  clerking  a  short  time  there  for  Mr. 
Seeger,  bought  out  his  stock,  which  he  sold 
in  1863,  and  then  was  employed  by  different 
firms  as  salesman,  until  1870.  In  that  year 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  John  R. 
Dutch,  in  company  with  whom  he  carried  on 
a  general  merchandising  and  grain  business, 
until  the  fall  of  1874,  when  their  store,  stock 
and  warehouse  were  burned,  entailing  a  lo.ss 
of  $35,000.  Mr.  Wilson  then  engaged  in 
the  grain  business,  and  in  1878,  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Garm,  Wilson  &  Co., 
who  bought  the  steamboat  "  Maggie  P,"  and 
barges,  carrying  on  an  extensive  grain  busi- 
ness until  the  s[)ring  of   1882    when  thov  so'd 


the  steamboat.  They  have  warehouses  at 
Beardstown,  Bluff  Springs,  West  Point  and 
Bath,  and  have  leased  others  on  the  Illinois 
River.  In  1861,  Mr.  Wilson  married  Angel- 
ine,  daughter  of  G.  H.  Seeger,  of  Beardstown; 
they  have  had  seven  children,  of  whom  two 
sons  and  two  daughters  are  living. 

THEODORE  WILKINS,  deceased;  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Berlin,  Germany,  Dec.  13, 
1830;  his  father  was  a  major  in  the  Prussian 
army.  Mr.  Wilkins  completed  a  college 
course,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  entered 
the  army  as  a  private  soldier;  he  passed  his 
examination  at  the  end  of  three  months,  and, 
after  attending  an  artillery  and  engineer's 
school  at  Berlin,  received  a  lieutenant's  com- 
mission, and  served  until  1847,  when  he  re- 
signed. He  then  came  to  the  United  States, 
and  settled  near  Washington,  Franklin  Co., 
Mo.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  where, 
in  1849,  he  married  Matilda  Manlinckrodt, 
who  died  in  1853,  leaving  one  son,  Paul,  a 
teacher  in  St.  Louis,  ilo.;  she  was  a  daughter 
of  Julius  Manlinckrodt.  In  1855,  he  married 
Bertha  Setzer;  her  father  emigrated  from 
Hamburg,  Germany,  and  settled  at  Hermann, 
Mo.,  in  1837,  she  being  then  a  child  of  nine 
years.  In  1858,  Mr.  Wilkins  moved  to  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  having  previously  sold  his  farm, 
antl  been  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in 
Washington,  Mo.  He  was  a  Collector  in  St. 
Louis  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war, 
when,  in  April,  1861,  he  was  elected  Captain 
of  a  Home  Guard  Company,  afterward  serving 
in  the  Second  Missouri  Artillery  three  years 
as  major,  being  in  active  service  at  the  cap- 
ture of  Camp  Jackson,  at  Carthage,  and  other 
points.  After  the  war  he  was  Assessor  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  until  1868,  when  he  came  to 
Beardstown.  Here  he  engaged  as  Secretary 
of  the  Illinois  Insurance  Company,  and  was 
afterward  Cashier  of  the  Cass  County  Bank 
until  1878,  when  he  resigned  that  position, 
and  became  editor  of  the  Beardstown  Wochen- 


BEARDSTUWN— CITY  AND  PRECINCT. 


277 


blatt,  a  German  paper,  which  he  edited  until 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  11, 
1881.  By  his  last  marriage  seven  children 
were  born,  four  of  whom  are  living,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters. 

GEORGE  WAGNER,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Bluff 
Spring!);  is  a  native  of  Germany;  born  Dec. 
14,  1825;  son  of  Theodore  and  Elizabeth  (An- 
dreas) Wagner;  he,  a  piano  maker  by  trade; 
she,  died  in  1837.  Mr.  Wagner  attended 
school  for  eight  years  in  his  native  country, 
where  he  began  life  as  a  farmer;  he  served 
two  years  in  the  3d  Regiment  of  Prussia — a 
Hessian  regiment — under  Captain  Otto.  He 
came  to  this  county  in  1850,  where  he  has 
since  been  engaged  in  farming.  In  Beards- 
town,  in  1851,  he  married  Mary  Derr,  a  native 
of  Germany,  born  Nov.  11,  1825,  who  bore 
him  live  children:  John,  Theodore,  George, 
Elizabeth,  and  Mary.  In  1864,  he  married 
Catharine  Deitrick,  also  a  native  of  Germany, 
born  in  1835,  and  by  this  marriage  six  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  Emil,  Harry  L.,  Rosa, 
Edward,  Lydia,  and  Anna  Eliza.  His  step- 
daughter, Mary  Webel,  eighteen  years  of  age, 
resides  with  him.     He  is  a  Republican. 

JOHN  H.  WEDEKING,  cigar  manufact- 
urer, Beardstown;  is  a  native  of  Beardstown; 
born  May  11,  1844;  son  of  Frederick  Wede- 
king,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  came  to 
Beardstown  in  1833,  and  finally  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Arenzville  Precinct,  this  county,  in 
1844,  where  he  still  resides,  aged  seventy-three 
years.  John  H.  received  an  ordinary  educa- 
tion, and  remained  on  the  farm  till  1802,  when 
he  enlisted  in  Co.  A,  114th  Ills.  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  during  his  term  of  service  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Jackson,  Miss.,  and 
Vicksburg,  and  again  at  Jackson,  Jliss.  At 
the  latter  place,  July  16,  1803,  he  received  a 
gunshot  wound,  which  necessitated  the  ampu- 
tation of  his  leg  at  the  thigh;  he  lay  in  Mem- 
phis Hospital  till  May,  1804,  and  was  mustered 
out  that  year  at  Jefferson    Barracks.     On   his 


return  to  Beardstown,  he  began  learning  the 
trade  of  cigar  making,  at  which  he  served  two 
years.  In  1866,  he  oj)ened  a  cigar  factory  at 
Lincoln,  Logan  County,  111.,  where  he  carried 
on  business  one  and  a  half  years,  then  returned 
to  Beardstown,  and  for  six  years  worked  for 
John  Limberger.  In  1880,  he  opened  his 
present  cigar  factory,  No.  36  Fourth  District 
of  Illinois,  and  has  since  carried  on  business 
here;  he  employs  three  men,  and  manufact- 
ures about  200,000  cigars  annuallj-,  making 
four  brands.  In  1866  he  married  Helena 
Tembick,  of  Beardstown. 

JOHN  WEBB,  retired  from  business; 
Beardstown;  was  born  near  Manchester, 
England,  Dec.  9,  1813,  and  came  to  the 
United  States  with  his  parents  in  1818,  who 
settled  in  Baltimore,  Md.  He  learned  the 
trade  of  a  machinest,  and  afterward  worked 
in  the  shops  of  the  B.  &  O.  R.  R.  Co.  He 
worked  upon  marine  engines,  and  for  the 
Savage  Manufacturing  Company,  till  1838,  in 
which  year  he  went  to  Springfield,  111.,  and 
from  there  to  Petersburg.  In  1844,  he  came 
to  Cass  County,  and  started  a  shop  about 
three  miles  from  Virginia,  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  Page's  portable  circular  saws,  but  his 
business  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
was  compelled  to  seek  better  facilities,  and  he 
moved  to  Beardstown,  where  he  erected  a 
foundry  and  machine  shop,  running  the  same 
till  1850,  when  his  works  were  burned  out, 
with  a  loss  of  $17,000;  no  insurance.  He  re- 
built, however,  and  continued  the  business 
until  1806,  when  he  sold  to  Ebaugh  &  Quin- 
lan.  He  afterward  went  into  the  manufacture 
of  wagons,  which  he  continued  till  1875, 
when  he  retired,  leaving  the  business  in  the 
hands  of  his  sou  and  son-in-law.  He  mar- 
ried in  Baltimore,  in  1834,  Miss  Eliza  A. 
Kahaley. 

W.  B.  WILLIAMS,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Bluff 
Springs;  is  a  native  of  North  Carolina;  born 
Jan.  0,  1848.     His   parents,  W.  A.  and    Mar- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


garet  (Thomas)  Williams,  are  both  still  living, 
and  have  had  five  children;  his  father,  who  is 
also  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  was  born  Jan.  8,  1818.  Mr. 
Williams  received  but  a  limited  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  precinct,  attending  school 
but  a  short  time,  and  has  always  been  a 
farmer.  For  the  past  three  years  he  has  been 
the  keeper  of  the  poor-farm.  In  Beardstown, 
Aug.  8,  1873,  he  married  Mary  J.  Heatoii,  a 
native  of  England;  born  May  15,  1850,  who 
bore  him  two  children,  John  E.  and  William 
H.  Mrs.  Williams  died  March  1,1881;  she 
was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Jane  Hea- 
ton,  who  now  reside  in  Virginia,  this  county. 
His  second  wife,  whom  he  married  July  28, 
1881,  is  Anna  Gough. 

CHARLES  E.  WYMAN,  attorney  at  law, 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in 
May,  1852,  and  at  the  age  of  four  years  came 
West  with  his  parents,  who  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Ford  County,  111.,  where  he  remained  till 
he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  then  be- 
gan the  study  of  law  with  his  brother  Gilbert, 
in  Chatsworth,  111.,  and  in  connection  with 
his  law  studies  engaged  in  teaching  school 
and  in  other  pursuits  for  three  years.     He  was 


admitted  to  the  bar  at  the  session  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  held  in  Ottawa,  111.,  in  Septem- 
ber, ]8r5,  and  after  practicing  a  year  in  Gil- 
man,  111.,  came  to  Beardstown  in  the  fall  of 
1876,  where  he  has  since  resided,  enjoying  a 
good  practice  in  this  and  adjoining  counties. 
He  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as  City  At- 
torney of  Beardstown.  In  1877,  he  married 
Maggie,  daughter  of  John  Fidler,  of  Beards- 
town. 

HENRY  WINHOLD,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs  ;  is  a  native  of  this  county  ;  born 
May  7,  1843;  son  of  William  and  Barbara 
(Weber)  Winhold,  natives  of  Hessen,  Ger- 
many. William  Winhold  was  born  Feb.  1, 
1809,  and  is  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He 
came  to  this  country  in  18  5,  landing  in  Bal- 
timore, Md.,  August  28,  that  year,  and  settled 
in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  nearly 
seven  years;  and  in  1811,  came  to  this  count}'. 
His  wife,  who  was  horn  in  1805,  is  also  living. 
They  are  the  parents  of  seven  children:  two 
boys,  and  five  girls.  Mr.  Winhold  received 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  this  county, 
and  began  life  as  a  farmer,  which  occupation 
he  has  ever  since  followed  in  this  county.  He 
is  a  Republican. 


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CHANDLERVILLE  PRPXIXCT. 


281 


CHANDLERVILLE    PRECINCT. 


THOMAS  AINSWORTH,  capitalist  ; 
Chandlerville.  Among  the  most  active,  up- 
right and  liighly  respected  citizens  of  Cass 
County,  who  have  achieved  success  by  their 
own  indomitable  energies,  rather  than  by  any 
outside  aid,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
His  record  is  that  of  hundreds  of  others  of 
the  self  made,  self  reliant  men,  to  be  met 
with  in  the  every-day  walks  of  life,  and  his 
career  has  been  marked  with  the  varied  ex- 
periences common  to  all  of  the  class  referred 
to.  Mr.  Ain^worth  is  a  native  of  Lancashire, 
England,  having  been  born  Jan.  30,  1814,  to 
Thomas  and  Sarah  (Townley)  Ainsworth,  both 
natives  of  England.  He  was  denied  the 
privilege  of  attaining  other  than  a  limited 
mental  culture  in  youth;  but  his  was  an  en- 
ergy that  was  not  easily  thwarted  by  obstacles, 
and  by  dint  of  his  own  perseverance,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  a  fair  business  education; 
nor  was  he  more  fortunate  in  this  world's 
goods.  Standing  on  the  threshold  of  his 
young  manhood,  he  could  easily  count  the 
dollars  that  were  his  upon  the  fingers  of  his 
hand.  His  had  ever  been  a  cradle  rocked  by 
the  hand  of  adversity ;  but  his  heart  was 
strong,  his  courage  great,  his  energy  remarka- 
ble; and  lured  by  hope,  he  pressed  steadily 
forward,  placing  his  trust  in  Him  who  heareth 
ever  the  cry  of  the  raven,  and  who  has  prom- 
ised to  reward  the  faithful  worker.  His  early 
life  was  spent  at  home,  and  at  an  early  age 
learned  to  earn  his  own  livelihood  in  a  cot- 
ton factory,  where  his  father  was  also  em- 
ployed. At  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years  he 
bade  his  home  and  native  country  farewell. 
He  emigrated  to  America  in  1843,  and  the 
same  year  moved  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Mason 
County,  where   he  entered    eighty    acres   of 


wild  prairie  land,  and  remained  on  the  samo 
for  thirty-five  years,  and  during  that  time  saw 
this  country  ilevelop  from  a  wilderness  to  its 
present  highly  cultivated  condition.  In  1876 
he  erected,  from  his  own  designs,  a  neat  and 
commodious  residence  in  the  stirring  little 
town  of  Chandlerville,  and  moved  to  the  same 
in  the  spring  of  1877,  where  he  may  now  be 
found,  surrounded  with  those  comforts,  and 
enjoying  those  pleasures  that  are  ever  the  re- 
sult of  honesty,  industry  and  economy.  Mr. 
Ainsworth  is  one  of  the  largest  stockholders 
of  the  Valley  National  Bank  of  St.  Louis,  is 
largely  interested  in  Colorado  mines,  and  is 
the  owner  of  over  two  thousand  acres  of  the 
best  land  of  Illinois.  His  marriage  occurred 
in  1837,  to  Miss  Maria  Abbott,  a  native  of 
Lancashire,  England,  born  in  November,  1814. 
The  result  of  this  union  was  ten  children,  of 
whom  seven  are  now  living:  Nancy,  the  wife 
of  Agustine  Witt,  a  wholesale  merchant  of 
Decatur;  William  Henry,  a  prominent  mer- 
chant of  Rood  House,  III.;  Alice,  the  wife  of 
William  Casey,  a  retired  farmer,  of  Centralia, 
111.;  Thomas  T.,  a  farmer  of  Mason  County; 
Sarah  E.,  wife  of  George  Ransome,  a  farmer  of 
Mason  County;  Mary  A.,  wife  of  Thomas  Saye 
furniture  dealer,  of  Chandlerville,  and  Jo- 
seph, who  is  farming  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm,  in  Mason  County.  Among  his  children 
Mr.  Ainsworth  has  divided  over  $80,000 
worth  of  property.  He  and  wife  are  con- 
nected with  the  Congregational  Church.  He 
was  formerly  an  old  line  Whig,  but  is  now  a 
Republican.  He  has  never  taken  part  in  po- 
litical demonstrations,  but  evidently  takes 
quite  as  much  interest  in  what  he  has  not 
done,  as  in  that  which  he  actually  has  accom- 
plished. 


282 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


FRIEDRICH  BRAUER,  retired  farmer; 
P.  O.  Chandlerville.  Hanover,  formerly  a 
State  of  the  German  Confederation,  situated 
in  Northwestern  Germany,  has  furnished  a 
larger  proportion  of  solid,  substantial,  thrifty 
emigrants  to  America,  perhaps,  than  any  por- 
tion of  country  of  equal  size  on  the  continent. 
Of  the  number  referred  to  belongs  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  who  was  born  in  Hanover, 
May  10,  1822.  Here  were  his  parents  also 
born.  Notwithstanding  the  beauties  in  na- 
ture, art,  science  and  literature,  that  charac- 
terize the  "German  Fatherland,"  the  great 
Republic  that  has  sprung  into  existence 
vpithin  the  last  century  in  North  America, 
has  presented  quite  enough  in  attractions  to 
seduce  many  thousands  of  Germans  to  our 
shores,  where,  to  their  honor,  be  it  said,  they 
contributed  largely  by  their  industry  and 
thrift,  to  the  material  wealth  of  the  country 
of  their  adoption.  Christ.  Brauer,  the  father 
of  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  set  sail  for  this 
country,  with  his  family,  in  1842,  landing  at 
New  Orleans.  From  this  point  he  embarked 
by  water  for  Beardstown,  111.,  where  he  re- 
mained two  months  looking  for  a  suitable 
farm,  -which  he  found,  and  purchased  of  Wil- 
liam Taylor,  three  miles  north  of  Arenzville. 
Here  Mr.  Brauer  died  in  the  spring  of  18-13 ; 
his  wife  surviving  his  death  until  1853.  In 
1853,  previous  to  the  death  of  his  mother, 
Mr.  Brauer  sold  the  homestead  farm,  and 
bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land  about  one 
mile  north  of  Arenzville,  where  he  remained 
for  thirteen  years,  when  he  sold  it,  and  bought 
of  John  Fielding,  in  Sangamon  Bottom,  280 
acres  of  land.  In  1880,  he  rented  his  farms, 
bought  a  handsome  residence  in  Chandler- 
ville, and  removed  to  it  the  same  year,  it 
being  his  desire  to  retire  from  active  labor 
and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  past  labors.  As  a 
business  man  Mr.  Brauer  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful. He  now  owns  1,000  acres  of  splen- 
did farmitig  land,  as  good  as  is  to  be  found  in 


this  part  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Brauer  was  married 
in  Cass  County  in  1817,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Brunker,  a  native  of  Germany.  The  result 
of  this  union  was  twelve  children,  of  whom 
five  are  now  living:  Mary,  widow  of  .lohn 
Ackerman;  Lewis,  a  farmer  of  Christian 
County,  who  married  Miss  Lizzie  Bloone,  of 
Menard  County;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  Epha- 
mire  Henry,  a  farmer  of  Christian  County; 
Hannah,  wife  of  Charles  Grape,  a  farmer  of 
Christian  County;  and  Minnie,  at  home  with 
her  parents.  Mr.  Brauer  and  wife,  are  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  In  the 
life  of  our  subject  we  have  demonstrated 
s(ime  of  the  possibilities  of  human  energy 
and  perserverance  in  overcoming  difficulties. 
We  have  seen  him  launched  out  in  life  empty 
handed,  battling  with  poverty,  with  a  family 
to  support,  steadily  gaining  and  increasing 
his  possessions,  until  to-day  he  looks  out  on 
his  fine  farms,  covered  with  a  rich  harvest, 
ready  for  the  reaper,  and  furnished  with  all 
conveniences  of  well  ordered  and  improved 
farms. 

DR.  NATHANIEL  H.  BOONK,  Chand- 
lerville ;  was  born  in  Troop  Co.,  Georgia, 
June  6,  1836,  to  William  and  Martha  E. 
(Bradford)  Boone;  born  in  South  Carolina  in 
180G;  farmer;  and  died  in  Mississippi  in  1855; 
bis  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  South  Carolina  in  1808,  and  is  now 
residing  in  Oxford,  Mississippi.  She  is  the 
mother  of  ten  children;  five  of  whom  are 
living;  of  whom  the  Doctor  was  the  third. 
When  but  six  years  old  he  was  removed  by 
his  parents  to  Alabama,  and  at  the  age  of 
nine  to  Oxford,  Mississippi.  His  literary  ed- 
ucation was  received  at  the  Oxford  Univer- 
sity, after  which  he  entered  the  Nashville 
Medical  College,  in  1854,  and  graduated 
March  4,  18G0,  when  he  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas;  and 
in  1864  removed  to  Chandlerville,  111.,  his 
present   residence,  where   he  has  a  large  and 


CUANDLKKVILLE  PRECIXCT. 


283 


increasing  practice,  and  socially  enjoys  the 
highest  esteem.  In  IStJl,  in  Arkansas,  he 
married  Miss  Julia  (J.  Blackwell,  a  native  of 
Georgia.  She  died  in  1867,  aged  twenty-six 
j'ears,  and  was  the  mother  of  two  children, 
James  and  Howard  N.,  both  dead.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1S?0,  in  Menard  County,  111.,  he  mar- 
ried'Miss  Harriet  Coddington,  a  native  of 
Menard  County,  111.;  born  in  November, 
1837.  She  is  the  mother  of  two  children, 
both  of  whom  are  dead.  Politically,  Dr. 
Boone  is  identified  with  the  Democratic  party. 
ALBERT  BUCK,  merchant;  Ciiandler- 
ville  ;  was  born  in  this  county.  June  10, 
ISiO  ;  son  of  Jasper  and  Sophia  Buck  ;  he, 
born  Dec.  17,  1702,  and  died  March  1,  1841  ; 
she,  born  April  26,  1797,  and  died  Dec.  37, 
1866.  They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living  : 
Thomas  C,  born  July  4,  1815,  died  Dec.  5, 
1875  ;  Charleton,  born  June  28,  1817,  died 
Aug.  6,  1856  ;  Sarah  (Conrad)  Reinning, 
born  July  31,  1819,  living  in  Arenzville  Pre- 
cinct ;  Martha,  widow  of  Michael  Buxton, 
born  Aug  29,  1821 ;  Margaret,  May  7,  1824, 
died  Oct.  8,  1831  ;  Elizabeth  and  James, 
twins,  born  Nov.  14,  1827  ;  James  died  in  in- 
fancy, and  Elizabeth  married  Richard  L. 
Davis  ;  James  H.,  born  Jan.  30,  1830,  died 
May  6,  1857  ;  John  H.,  born  March  27,  1832; 
Stephen  D.,  born  July  14,  1834  ;  Jasper  J., 
born  Oct.  15,  1836  ;  Mary,  wife  of  Mathew 
Bowyer,  born  July  20,  1838,  died  April  2, 
1880  ;  and  Albert,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Jasper,  with  two  brothers,  John  and  Stephen, 
came  from  Bertie  County,  N.  C,  between 
the  years  1825  and  1830,  and  settling  in  what 
is  now  known  as  Arenzville  Precinct.  Jas- 
per was  a  man  highly  respected  in  his  day, 
and  filled  the  position  of  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
Albert,  being  the  youngest,  remained  on  the 
farm  with  his  mother,  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  war,  when  he,  in  August,  1SG2, 
volunteered   in    Company    K,   101st  Illinois 


Infantry,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
at  which  time,  1805,  he  began  farming  on  the 
home  place.  June  9,  1868,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Naomi  Stanley,  by  whom  he  has 
had  two  children  :  Sarah  Ellen,  born  April  3, 
1869  ;  and  Chas.  Oliver,  born  April  29, 1870. 
He  continued  farming  until  February,  18? 2, 
when  he  met  with  an  accident  that  disabled 
him  from  farm  duty  ;  when  he  moved  to 
Arenzville  in  1873,  and  opened  a  grocery 
store.  He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
In  the  fall  of  1875  he  sold  out  his  business  in 
Arenzville,  and  moved  to  Chandlerville, 
where  he  has  since  continued  in  business. 

CHARLES  C.  BROWN,  drugs  and  hard- 
ware; Chandlerville;  was  born  near  Cleveland, 
O.,  Dec.  22,  1846,  to  O.  P.  and  Lydia  B.  (Bee- 
be)  Brown ;  born  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1826,  and 
when  a  child  was  taken  to  the  Western  Re- 
serve, O.,  by  his  parents,  where,  after  he 
grew  to  manhood,  became  a  prominent  law- 
yer and  judge  of  Portage  County;  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  for  several  terms, 
and  State  Senator,  and  enlisted  in  Seventh 
Ohio  Regiment,  but  died  soon  after  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  war.  Gen.  J.  A.  Garfield  was 
one  of  his  law  students,  and  he  nominated  the 
future  President  to  his  first  political  office. 
His  death  occurred  in  1802.  His  wife,  the 
mother  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Chardon,  O., 
in  1828,  and  died  in  1862;  she  was  the  mother 
of  three  children,  of  whom  Chas.  C.  was  the 
oldest  son.  In  1861  he  went  to  Cleveland, 
and  engaged  as  clerk  in  wholesale  drug  busi- 
ness for  about  five  years,  with  the  exception 
of  eleven  months,  while  he  was  in  the  war — 
150th  Ohio  Regiment,  Cleveland  Grays,  Com- 
pany C.  In  1866  he  commenced  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  in  Warren,  Ohio.  In  1807 
he  removed  to  Chandlerville,  Cass  County, 
where  he  engaged  as  clerk  in  different  drug 
stores.  In  1868  he  started  a  dry  goods,  grain 
and  grocery  business  in  (Jhandlerville.  In 
1873   he    started    in  the  drug  business  with 


284 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Mr.  Ira  N.  Read,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained, engaged  extensively  in  the  drug- 
business,  also  handling  a  large  stock  of  hard- 
ware. He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Town 
Board  nearly  all  the  time  since  he  came  to 
the  county,  and  has  filled  other  town  offices. 
Oct.  12, 1881,  he  married  Miss  Anna  Saunders, 
a  native  of  DeWitt  County,  Iowa;  was  born  in 
1854;  is  a  member  of  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  has 
served  as  Master;  is  a  Republican,  and  has 
been  several  times  Chairman  of  the  Central 
Committee. 

B.  E.  BOWMAN,  dealer  in  agricultural  im- 
plements, Chandlerville  ;  was  born  in  Ruther- 
ford County,  Tenn,,  April  23,  1844,  to  James 
T.  and  Mary  (Brown)  Bowman;  he  born  in 
Tennessee,  a  farmer,  and  dying  in  January, 
1854,  aged  forty-seven  years ;  she,  also  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  died  in  July,  18G6,  aged 
fifty-four  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  twelve 
children,  and  of  them  B.  E.  Bowman  was 
the  ninth.  In  1862  he  was  conscripted 
into  the  Confederate  army,  and  served  in  the 
45th  Tenn.  Reg.,  under  Bragg.  He  was  cap- 
tured at  Look  Out  Mountain  in  December, 
1864,  taken  to  Rock  Island,  and  stayed  until 
July,  1865,  when  he  went  to  Mason  County, 
where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand,  and  con- 
tinued until  1869,  when  he  rented  a  farm  in 
Cass  County,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged. 
He  married  April  14,  1869,  Sarah  J.  Hash,  a 
native  of  Cass  County,  born  June  17,  1849, 
and  died  in  December,  1872,  leaving  two 
children,  Ella  and  Arthur,  both  at  home. 
Oct.  14,  1874,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Parrott, 
a  native  of  Missouri,  born  in  1846,  who  was 
the  mother  of  three  children,  only  one  of 
whom  is  living,  Clark  E.  Mr.  Bowman  has 
served  as  School  Director,  and  self  and  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  Church.  He  is 
a  Democrat. 

REV.  JOHN  M.  BOWERS,  Congregational 
clergyman,  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, Washington  County,  Penn.,  March  14, 


1835,  to  George  and  Catharine  (Snyder) 
Bowers  ;  he,  born  in  Germany,  in  1806,  and 
emigrated  to  America  in  1833,  settling  in 
Pennsylvania,  but  subsequently  in  Mansfield, 
Ohio,  in  1836;  is  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  is 
still  living.  She,  also  born  in  Germany,  in  1812, 
came  to  America  in  1832,  and  was  married  in 
1834  ;  is  still  living.  She  is  the  mother  of 
nine  children,  John  M.  being  the  oldest.  The 
nine  children  are  all  living,  viz.:  John  M., 
Margaret,  Caroline,  Catharine,  Lewis,  Bar- 
bara, Louisa,  George,  and  William.  John  M. 
received  his  education  at  the  Michigan  Uni- 
versity, at  Ann  Arbor,  and  Vermillion  Insti- 
tute, at  Hayesville,  Ohio,  and  his  theological 
train  ing  at  Oberlin  Institute.  Was  ordained 
to  the  Congregational  Church  at  Sedalia,  Mo., 
April  16,  1866.  His.  first  church  was  at  Seda- 
lia; he  was  the  organizer  of  the  church  there. 
In  1872  he  removed  to  Lexington,  Ohio, 
where  he  remained  until  1874,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Parkesburg,  Iowa,  and  remained  for 
three  and  one-half  years,  and  Earlville,  Iowa, 
for  three  and  one-half  years.  In  1881  he 
came  to  Chandlerville  and  took  charge  of  the 
Congregational  Church  of  that  town,  built  in 
1880.  On  March  8,  1870,  he  was  married  to 
Helen  A.  Knapp;  born  in  Indiana,  Jan.  15, 
1852.  She  is  a  daughter  of  J.  H.  and  Lydia 
(Currier)  Knapp.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowers  are 
the  parents  of  six  children,  viz.:  George,  Marv, 
Laura,  Emma,  Helen,  and  Clara.  Mr.  Bowers 
was  in  the  84th  Ohio  Reg.,  Col.  Lawrence, 
commander. 

GEORGE  BRIAR,  deceased;  was  born 
in  New  Jersey,  Aug.  13,  1817,  and  was 
a  son  of  James  and  Mary  Briar,  who  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children.  His  education 
was  received  in  the  common  schools  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  in  1835  he  came  to  this  county; 
settled  in  the  Sangamon  Bottom,  and  engaged 
in  farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
Jan.  90,  1882;  he  had  at  the  time  of  his 
driitli  200  acres   of  improved    land.     In   this 


CHAXDLERVILLE  PRECIXCT. 


285 


county  Sept.  4,  1844,  he  married  Sidney  Ann 
Capper,  a  native  of  Ohio;  born  Jan.  28,  1824, 
who  died  Jan.  31,  18 r3,  leaving  six  children: 
James  D.,  born  Nov.  26,  1846;  Robert  E., 
Feb.  13,  1848;  George  W.,  Dec.  13,  1849; 
Charles  M.,  March  9,  1852;  Alice,  March  24, 
1856;  and  Susan,  Jan.  8,  186  ,  all  of  whom  are 
at  the  honiestead  farm  except  James  D.,  who 
is  in  Missouri.  Mrs.  Briar  was  a  daurrhter  of 
Meredith  and  Eliza  Capper,  natives  of  Ohio. 
Mr.  Briar  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  a  supporter  of  the  Republican 
party. 

LINUS  C.  CHANDLER,  lawyer  ;  Chand- 
lerville  ;  was  born  in  Chandlerville,  Aug.  9, 
1846,  to  Dr.  Charles  and  Clarissa  (Child) 
Chandler  ;  he  was  born  in  Connecticut,  July 
2,  1806,  and  died  April  7,  1879  ;  emigrated 
to  Chandlerville  in  the  winter  of  1831 — being 
the  founder  of  Chandlerville — where  he  was 
President  of  Town  Board  for  many  years. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  the  business  affairs 
of  Chandlerville;  he  was  a  druggist  and  mer- 
chant for  many  years.  He  was  a  graduate  from 
the  Dudley  Academy  in  Connecticut,  and 
the  Medical  College,  June,  1827,  at  Castleton, 
Vermont.  Began  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion in  1829  in  Scituate,  Rhode  Island,  and 
continued  the  practice  of  his  profession  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
years.  Was  married  in  Connecticut  in  1827, 
to  Mary  C.  Rickard;  she  died  in  1840  or 
1841.  In  1842,  in  Chandlerville,  he  married 
a  second  time,  Clarissa  Child,  of  Connecti- 
cut. By  the  first  marriage  there  were  five 
children  :  Mrs.  Shaw  and  Mrs.  Gen.  C.  E. 
Lippincott,  of  Chandlerville,  Mrs.  Frackelton, 
of  Petersburg,  Charles  E.,  of  Knoxville,  Illi- 
nois, and  Harrison  T.,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
By  the  second  marriage  there  were  three 
children  ;  Linus  C,  our  subject,  being  the 
only  one  living.  Linus  C.  attended  Phillips' 
Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  and  Illinois  Col- 
lege, and  graduated  from  Harvard  Law  Uni- 


versity in  June,  1871,  when  he  went  to  Chi- 
cago, and  entered  the  office  with  Higgins, 
Swett  &  Quigg,  and  afterward  with  Nolton, 
Smith  &  Scales,  until  the  fire  in  Chicago, 
when  he  returned  to  Chandlerville,  and 
opened  a  law  office,  where  he  has  since  remain- 
ed. In  1872  was  elected  States  Attorney 
for  Cass  County,  and  served  four  years.  In 
1880  was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  and 
served  two  years.  Was  Justice  of  Peace,  and 
President  of  Town  Board  at  Chandlerville. 
On  Sept.  5,  1873,  he  married  Sarah  L.  Beane, 
a  native  of  Lisbon,  N.  H.  She  is  the  mother 
of  two  children  :  Carl,  born  Feb.  16,  1876  ; 
William  C,  Feb.  21,  1879.  Mr.  C.  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  hav- 
ing been  Master  of  his  lodge  for  eight  years. 
Is  a  Republican. 

SILAS  CARR,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chandler- 
ville; was  born  in  Monroe  County,  111.,  Nov. 
10,  1810;  son  of  Leonard  and  Mary  (Groats) 
Carr.  He,  a  native  of  Hardy  County,  Va.; 
born  June  4,  1771,  and  died  June  4,  1851. 
His  business  was  that  of  a  blacksmith  and 
a  farmer;  was  an  early  settler  of  Illinois. 
She,  a  native  of  Randolph  County,  111.,  and 
dying  in  September  1821,  aged  40  j-ears. 
Our  subject  after  receiving  the  education  af- 
forded by  the  schools  of  his  native  county,  as- 
sisted his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old.  He  came  to  Cass 
County,  111.,  in  April,  1863,  and  is  now 
the  owner  of  150  acres  of  land.  He  was  mar- 
ried Feb.  8,  1838,  to  Miss  Delia  Sharp,  who 
has  borne  him  three  children,  two  of  whom 
are  now  living,  viz.:  Francis  M.,  and  Stephen 
A.  Douglas.  Mr.  Carr  and  wife  are  connect- 
ed with  the  Methodist  Church.  He  stands 
high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people  as  a  citi- 
zen and  a  gentleman.  His  political  views 
are  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party. 

A.    G.     COLSON,     dealer     in     furniture 
and   agricultural  implements,  Chandlerville; 


286 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


was  born  in  Menaid  County,  111.,  Jan.  6' 
1851,  to  Isaac  and  Dilue  (Overstreet)  Colson; 
he,  born  in  Maine,  April  34,  1803;  emigrated 
to  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Menard  County 
about  1830.  During  his  life  he  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  was  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  successful  farmers  of  that 
county;  he  accumulated  about  10,000  acres 
of  well  improved  land,  which  he  owned  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  March  31, 
1854.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Virginia,  March  15,  1814,  and 
died  May  13,  1859.  They  were  the  parents 
of  one  child,  our  subject.  Mrs.  Colson  was 
formerly  Mrs.  Dilue  Anderson,  and  by  him 
had  three  children.  Mr.  Colson  was  educated 
at  Petersburgh  and  Shurtleff  College.  la 
1873  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
at  Oakford,  Menard  Co.,  111.,  and  continued 
the  same  for  about  five  years.  In  1877  he 
sold  his  business  and  removed  to  Chandler- 
ville,  where  he  engaged  in  the  hotel  business 
for  about  one  year.  In  1878  he  engaged  in 
the  commission  grain  business  for  about  four 
years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1881,  gave  his  at- 
tention to  the  agricultural  implement  busi- 
ness. On  Dec.  15,  1870,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Susan  E.  Davis,  a  native  of  Menard 
County,  111.,  born  May  10,  1854;  died  Dec- 
35,  1871.  Nov.  21,  1873,  he  married  Miss 
Rachel  Skeggs,  a  native  of  Mason  County, 
111.;  born  January  16,  1859.  She  is  the 
mother  of  five  children,  of  whom  but  one  is 
living — Blessie,  born  May  25,  1876.  Mr. 
Colson  is  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
and  a  member  of  the  order  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church.     He  is  a  Democrat. 

JEREMIAH  W.  DAVIS,  deceased.  Refer- 
ence to  the  prominent  and  highly  industrious 
class  of  the  citizens  of  Cass  County  would  be 
incomplete  without  a  brief  "mention  of  the 
active  career  of  Jeremiah  W.  Davis,  deceased. 
He  was  born  in  Greene  County,  Ky.,  Sept.  5, 


1816.  He  was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  par- 
ents, who  settled  in  Cass  County  about  the 
year  1839.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  receiv- 
ing a  limited  common  school  education,  and 
assisting  in  tilling  the  home  farm.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  years,  he  left  his  home  and  em- 
barked on  life's  rugged  pathway,  as  a  farmer, 
continuing  the  occupation  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1863.  He  was  mar- 
ried March  10,  1836,  to  Miss  Cassandra  E. 
Gunn,  who  bore  him  nine  children,  of  whom 
four  are  now  living,  viz.:  Jesse  A.,  born  Jan. 
38,  1843;  John  B.,  B'eb.  10,  1852;  Jemima 
M.,  April  36,  1846;  and  Jeremiah  W., 
Sept.  15,  1854.  Mr.  Davis  commenced 
life  a  poor  boy,  and  by  hard  work  succeeded 
in  gaining  a  good  property.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  the  owner  of  1,000  acres  of 
good  land.  Such,  very  briefly,  is  the  career 
of  one  who  through  life  was  highly  energetic 
and  progressive,  and  whose  many  excellent 
qualities  of  head  and  heart  enabled  him  to 
gather  about  him  an  unusually  large  number 
of  friends. 

CHRISTIAN  DUCHARDT,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virgina;  was  born  in  Germany,  June  21, 1830; 
fifth  child  of  a  family  of  eleven,  born  to  Carl 
and  Mary  (Link)  Duchardt,  both  natives  of 
Germany,  where  also  both  died;  Carl  Duch- 
ardt was  a  butcher  by  trade.  Christian  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Germany,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  emi- 
grated to  America,  landing  in  New  York  City 
in  1838.  In  that  same  year  he  came  to  this 
county,  where  he  followed  the  butchering 
business  about  twenty  years,  and  in  1858 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  has  since 
devoted  his  attention  to  farming,  and  is  now 
the  owner  of  560  acres  of  improved  land,  all 
of  which  has  been  acquired  by  his  own  labors. 
He  was  married  in  this  county  in  1852,  to 
Mary  A.  Nollsch,  a  native  of  Germany;  born 
in  February,  1830,  who  has  borne  him  two 
children:  Lizzie,  wife  of  Mr.  William  Neeham, 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECIXCT. 


287 


and  John.  Mr.  DucharJt  and  family  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Church;  he  is  a 
Republican. 

JAMES  FIELDExN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chau- 
dlerville;  was  boru  in  Roachdale,  England, 
Jan.  10,  1829,  to  James  and  Betty  (Bellfield) 
Fielden;  he,  born  in  England  about  the  year 
1800,  and  died  in  this  county,  in  1858;  he 
was  a  son  of  John  Fielden;  she  was  born  in 
England  in  1800,  and  died  in  Cass  County  in 
18G1.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, of  whom  James,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  the  youngest.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica with  his  father  and  grandfather  in  1842, 
and  remained  with  his  parents  to  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years.  He  learned  the  trade  of 
shoe-making,  but  subsequently  began  farm- 
ing. He  commenced  life,  as  he  says, — "  worse 
than  poor,"  and  by  his  industry  and  economy 
has  succeeded  in  accumulating  286  acres  of 
the  best  land  of  Cass  County.  His  farm  is 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  has  all 
the  modern  improvements  in  the  way  of  a 
fine  residence,  barns,  etc.  Mr.  Fielden  was 
married  in  Cass  County  on  the  fourth  day  of 
Fehruar}',  1857,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Briar. 
Mrs.  Fielden  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  November,  1838.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fielden  have  been  blessed  with  seven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  now  living:  Mary, 
Emma,  Lincoln  and  Lannes.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  she  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian.  Politically,  Mr. 
Fielden,  like  his  father  and  grandfather,  was 
a  Whig,  but  now  unites  with  the  Republican 
party. 

ROBERT  FIELDEN,  farmer  ;  P.  O., 
Chandlerville,  is  a  native  of  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land; born  Feb.  23,  1819;  for  parents,  see 
sketch  of  James  Fielden.  He  received  his 
education  in  his  native  country,  and  in  181:2, 
in  company  with  his  parents  and  his  grand- 
father, emigrated  to  America,  and  settled  on 
the  Sangamon  Bottoms,  in  this  county.  When 


thirty-one  years  of  age,  he  began  farming  on 
his  own  account,  on  a  part  of  his  father's 
farm,  and  now  owns  three  hundred  acres  of 
land,  part  of  which  is  well  improved.  He  has 
been  twice  married;  in  this  county,  in  January, 
1850,  he  married  Matilda  Cook,  a  native  of  Ire- 
land who  died  in  1 858,  aged  thirty-seven  years, 
leaving  four  children:  Samuel,  in  Chandler- 
ville; Elizalseth  J.,  at  home;  James  E.,  a 
farmer,  in  Kansas,  and  John  J.,  at  home.  In 
1863,  ho  married  Sarah  L.  McKinnell,  a  native 
of  Lancashire,  England,  who  died  in  March, 
1873,  aged  thirty-seven  years;  from  this  mar- 
riage four  children  were  born:  Henry,  Benja- 
man,  David  and  Jonathan,  twins.  McFielden 
is  a  Republican;  he  has  been  County  Com- 
missioner two  years;  has  been  Township  Treas- 
urer about  ten  years,  and  now  holds  that  of- 
fice; he  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
JOHN  H.  GOODELL,  farmer  and  lumber 
merchant ;  P.  O.  Chandlerville;  was  born  in 
Thompson,  Windham  County,  Conn.,  April 
15,  1832,  to  Horace  and  Lucy  P.  (Rick- 
ard)  Goodell.  He,  born  in  Connecticut  in 
1802,  came  to  Illinois  in  the  spring  of  1837, 
and  settled  in  Cass  County,  he  is  a  farmer,  and 
now  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age  ;  his 
father  was  a  captain  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  Windham  County,  Conn.,  in  1808,  and 
died  in  ]868.  She  had  seven  children, 
of  whom  John  H.  was  the  second.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  left  his  home  and  apprenticed 
himself  at  the  carpenter  and  joiner  trade,  and 
followed  that  for  about  twelve  years.  In 
1862  he  enlisted  in  the  army,  and  served 
three  years  in  the  114th  Illinois  Regiment, 
Company  A,  under  command  of  Capt.  John- 
son. He  was  in  the  battle  of  Vicksburg. 
When  Price  made  his  march  through  Mis- 
souri, he,  in  his  regiment,  marched  from  Du- 
val's Bluff  through  to  Missouri,  and  returned 
to  Nashville.  In  1865,  after  his  return  homo, 
he  resumed  his  trade,  and  worked  at  it  for 


238 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


about  two  years  in  Jacksonville.  In  1866  he 
commenced  farming  in  Cass  County.  In 
1876  he  started  a  large  lumber  business  at 
Chandlerville.  Mr.  Goodell  is  the  owner 
of  about  230  acres  of  land,  in  Cass  County. 
In  18.51  he  married  Miss  Helen  E.  Cotton,  a 
native  of  Franklin  County,  New  York;  born 
in  March,  1833,  and  died  in  1863.  In  1865, 
Dec.  27,  he  married  Miss  Harriet  A.  Sewall, 
a  native  of  Cass  County;  born  April  14,  1838. 
She  is  the  mother  of  seven  children,  six  of 
whom  are  living :  Lucy,  Lydia,  William, 
John,  Andrew,  Susan;  all  at  home.  Mr. 
Goodell  is  now  holding  his  second  term  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  Self  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 
Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat. 

GEORGE  GEBHARTT,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Chandlerville;  was  born  in  France,  now  Ger- 
many, Jan.  3, 1828;  is  the  fourth  child  of  a  fam- 
ily of  eight  children,  born  to  Andrew  and 
Katerine  (Derr)  Gebhartt,  natives  of  Germany. 
Andrew  Gebhartt  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and 
died  in  Germany.  Our  subject  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  Germany,  learning 
both  the  French  and  German  languages,  and 
remained  with  his  parents  engaged  in  farm- 
ing until  1854,  when  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica. He  landed  at  New  Orleans,  thence  came 
to  Beardstown,  this  county,  and  immediately 
obtained  emplojment  on  the  farm  of  Gottleib 
NoUich,  with  whom  he  remained  about  two 
vears.  He  then  bought  eighty  acres  of  land, 
which  he  increased,  till  he  now  has  236  acres, 
after  dividing  160  acres  in  Christian  County, 
among  his  boys;  he  has  on  his  farm  a  good 
residence  and  outbuildings.  In  this  county, 
in  1857,  he  married  Elizabeth  Derr,  a  native 
of  Germany,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children, 
six  of  whom  are  living,  viz.:  George  W., 
John  H.,  Amey,  Franklin,  Elizabeth,  and 
Frederick  William.  Himself  and  wife  have 
been  members  of  the  German  Methodist  church 
for  ^twenty-seven  years;  he  is  a  Republican. 


A.  D.  GREIF,  Pastor  of  German  Lutheran 
Church,  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Meinin- 
gen,  Germany,  June  16,  1849,  to  C.  F.  and 
Susanna  (Seugling)  Greif,  natives  of  Ger- 
many, where  they  are  now  living.  Our  subject 
was  educated  at  Real  Sohule  College,  and  in 

1868  emigrated  to  America,  and  landed  Oct. 
15,  1868,  in  New  York,  where  he  began  teach- 
ing German  in  the  German  American  Insti- 
tute, of  Gerke  Koessly,  on  Twenty-third 
street.  His  pupils  paid  $300  per  term;  one 
of  them  was  the  son  of  President  Arthur.     In 

1869  he  attended  the  Lutheran  Theological 
Seminary  at  St.  Louis,  and  in  1870  graduat- 
ed, and  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  by  Dr. 
C.  F.  W.  Walther.  He  went  to  Texas  in 
July,  1870,  where  he  took  charge  of  a  church 
at  Independence,  and  afterward  at  Serbiu.  In 
December,  1875,  he  removed  to  Little  Rock, 
Ark.,  where  he  took  charge  of  a  congrega- 
tion for  one  and  one-half  years.  In  August, 
1877,  he  removed  to  Chandlerville,  this  coun- 
ty, where  he  has  since  remained  in  charge  of 
the  German  Lutheran  Church.  While  in 
Texas,  he  met  with  several  mishaps:  once  be- 
ing bitten  by  a  rattlesnake  in  the  back  of  the 
head;  again,  by  being  threatened  by  a  mem- 
ber of  his  congregation  with  a  butcher-knife; 
and  by  being  nearly  drowned  in  quicksand. 
In  New  Orleans,  April  17,  1874,  he  married 
Miss  Louisa  Odendahl,  a  native  of  Rostock, 
Mecklenburg,  Germany;  born  Sept.  5,  1847. 
They  have  two  children  which  they  have 
adopted — Herman  and  Frieda  Greif. 

MOSES  HARBISON,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chan- 
dlerville. The  father  of  our  subject  w^as 
Adam  B.  Harbison;  he  was  born  in  Virginia, 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1797,  and  was  taken  to 
Kentucky  by  his  parents,  when  a  small  boy; 
he  was  married  in  Kentucky,  and  emigrated 
to  Cass  County,  Illinois,  in  December,  1839, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming,  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occured  Aug.  31,  1841.  The 
mother  of    our  subject  was    Hannah    Rhea; 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


2S9 


bom  in  Barren  County,  Ky.,  on  the  16th 
of  May,  1808,  and  dying  on  the  25th  of  Nov. 
183-1.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  children, 
of  whom  Moses  Harbison  is  the  only  living 
child.  He  was  born  in  Metcalf  County,  Ky., 
on  the  3rd  of  Sept.  1831.  His  early  life  was 
spent  at  hard  work;  after  the  death  of  his 
father  he  made  his  home  with  John  Dick 
and  Marcus  Trobridge;  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
he  commenced  work  for  himself  as  a  farm 
hand.  In  Cass  County,  Jan.  7,  1858,  he 
married  Jliss  Mary  A.  Davis;  she  was  born 
in  Cass  County,  Aug.  10,  183&,  and  died 
Jan.  17,1863.  In  1864,  on  the  13th  of  March, 
he  married  Miss  Lydia  F.  Mason,  who  has 
borne  him  nine  children:  Sarah  V.,  Charles 
C,  Mary  C,  James  A.,  Robert  F.,  Estella 
F.,  Alice,  Martha  E.,  and  Emma.  He  is  now 
the  owner  of  376  acres  of  land,  and  is  consid- 
ered one  of  the  substantial,  enterprising  citi- 
zens of  Cass  County. 

FRIEDERICH  HERRMANN,  farmer;  P. 
O.  Chandlerville;  is  a  native  of  Wurtemberg, 
Germany,  and  son  of  Martin  and  Margaret 
Herrmann.  He  was  born  Feb.  16,  1824.  His 
father  was  born  in  Germany,  and  during  his 
life  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer;  he 
died  in  1846,  aged  sixty-five  years.  His 
mother  was  also  a  native  of  Germany.  She 
died  in  1853,  aged  seventy-two  years.  Our 
subject  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  Germany,  and  when  quite  young  was  ap- 
prenticed at  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he 
followed  in  Germany  until  1848,  when  he 
came  to  America.  He  made  his  first  stop  in 
Mason  County,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
for  six  years,  and  then  began  farming.  He 
came  to  Cass  County  in  1876,  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  560  acres  of  land.  In  November, 
1823,  he  married  Catharine  Smith,  who  has 
borne  him  five  children:  Leonard,  Henry, 
Catharine,  Fred,  and  Josephine,  all  of  whom 
are  at  home.  Mr.  Herrmann  and  family  are 
religiously  connected  with  the  German  Luther- 


an Church.  He  is  a  thorough  business  man, 
and  highly  esteemed  by  the  community,  and 
is  always  first  in  any  public  enterprise.  He 
is  a  good  neighbor,  a  kind  husband,  and  an 
indulgent  father. 

ZACHARIAH  HASH,  retired  farmer;  P. 
O.  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Green  County, 
April  6,  1812,  to  Philip  and  Sarah  (Nance) 
Hash.  Philip  Hash,  our  subject's  father,  was 
born  in  Virginia,  Jan.  31,  17'J0;  emigrated  to 
Kentucky  with  his  parents  when  a  small  boy; 
in  1822,  he  came  to  Illinois,  and  settled  in 
Cass  County;  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer,  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  died 
in  Missouri,  Aug.  5,  1849.  He  was  a  son  of 
Thomas  Hash,  a  native  of  Virginia;  born  Feb. 
13,  1756,  and  died  in  Missouri,  Dec.  5,  1848. 
Our  subject's  mother  was  born  near  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  Oct.  24,  1791,  and  died  Feb.  24, 
1847;  she  was  a  mother  of  fifteen  children,  of 
whom  our  subject  was  the  second  child;  her 
father,  Zachariah  Nance,  was  born  in  Virginia, 
served  through  the  Revolutionary  war,  under 
Washington.  Our  subject  was  brought  to 
Illinois  by  his  parents  in  1822,  and  was  edu- 
cated principally  in  Sangamon,  now  Menard 
County.  On  June  26,  1834,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Dick,  a  native  of  Kentucky; 
born  Feb.  16,  1817,  and  died  June  22,  1857; 
was  the  mother  of  seven  children,  of  whom 
three  are  living,  viz.:  Phillip,  Peter,  and 
Martha,  wife  of  John  Plunkett.  He  first 
rented  a  farm  in  this  county,  on  Sangamon 
Bottom;  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farm- 
ing in  this  county,  and  is  now  living  upon 
his  farm,  one  mile  southwest  from  Chandler- 
ville, but  has  been  retired  from  active  labor 
for  several  years.  His  second  marriage  oc- 
curred in  Mason  County,  April  3,  1862,  to 
Mrs.  Susan  Shelton,  formerly  a  Bowman; 
was  born  in  Rutherford  Co.,  Tenn.,  March  17, 
1825;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Bowman, 
a  native  of  Maryland,  born  March  11,  1799, 
and  died  Sept.  14,  1859.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hash 


290 


BIOGRAnirCAL  SKETCHES. 


have  had  two  children,  both  dead.  Mr.  Hash 
is  the  owner  of  about  200  acres  of  land;  our 
subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
Church.  He  is  a  Democrat.  Mr.  Hash  says 
he  was  often  compelled  to  give  up  his  house 
on  account  of  the  Indians,  and  at  other  times 
used  to  associate  among  them.  He  was 
always  very  daring.  Old  Dr.  Chandler,  who 
first  laid  out  Chandlerville,  said  he  had 
doctored  five  generations  of  the  Hash  family. 

ALBERT  G.  HAYNES,  grain  and  imple- 
ment dealer,  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Ross 
County,  O.,  Dec.  23,  1835,  to  Joseph  and 
Agnes  (Clark)  Haynes;  he,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1808,  and  removed  to  Illinois  in  1854,  settling 
in  Cass  County,  where  he  died  in  1856;  she, 
born  in  Ohio,  on  June  13,  1813,  and  died  in 
Cass  County,  June  13,  1872;  she  was  the 
mother  of  eight  children,  our  subject  being  the 
second  child.  At  the  death  of  his  father,  in 
1856,  he  commenced  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count. May  1,  1872,  he  removed  to  Chand- 
lerville, engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness for  about  six  years,  when  he  engaged  in 
the  grain  and  agricultural  implement  business, 
in  the  firm  of  A.  G.  Haynes  &  Co.,  in  grain, 
and  Bowman,  Haynes  &  Co.,  in  the  implement 
business.  In  May,  1857,  he  married  Miss 
Julia  A.  Benson,  a  native  of  Steuben  County, 
N.Y.;  she,  born  June  4, 1837;  she  is  the  mother 
of  one  child — Eva,  born  in  1860 — at  home.  Mr. 
Haynes  has  been  a  member  of  the  Town 
Board,  and  was  President  of  the  same.  Polit- 
ically he  is  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  KIRCHNER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Chandlerville;  was  born  Jan.  19, 1834,  in  Ger- 
many; his  parents  were  Gottlieb  and  Elizabeth 
(Aarps)  Kirchner,  natives  of  Germany.  His 
father  died  in  1845,  aged  48  years.  He  was  a 
farmer.  The  mother  of  our  subject  died  in 
1843,  aged  53  years.  They  were  the  parents 
of  three  children,  William  being  the  youngest. 
He  remained  with  his  parents  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then  sailed  for 


America,  landing  in  New  York  in  July,  1854; 
for  fifteen  months  his  time  was  chiefly  spent 
in  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  engaged  in  the 
lumber  business.  In  1859,  he  came  to  Cass 
County,  where  he  has  since  remained,  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  is  now  the  owner 
of  480  acres  of  good  land.  In  Cass  County, 
Dec.  26,  1858,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Yeck,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children,  viz.: 
Mary,  William,  Louis,  Matilda,  Lizzie,  Emma, 
Anna  and  Frank.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirchner  are 
members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 
Mr.  Kirchner,  as  a  farmer,  is  practical  and 
prosperous;  as  a  citizen  he  is  enterprising  and 
progressive,  and,  together  with  his  estimable 
wife,  are  intelligent  and  esteemed  citizens. 
He  is  a  Democrat. 

JOHN  H.  KINNEY,  furniture  and  agri- 
cultural implements  ;  was  born  in  Chicago, 
Feb.  18,  1849,  to  John  and  Harriet  (Smith) 
Kinney  ;  he,  born  in  Ireland,  emigrated  to 
America,  and  settled  near  Chicago,  dying 
July  29,  1849  ;  she,  born  in  Ohio,  in  March 
17, 1833,  and  died  July,  1878  ;  was  the  mother 
of  two  children,  John  H.  being  the  youngest. 
When  he  was  two  years  of  age,  he  was  given 
by  his  mother  to  his  uncle,  Seth  Houston, 
and  remained  with  him  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1881.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen,  Mr.  Kinney  began  farming  on  his 
own  account  in  Cass  County,  and  continued  the 
same  until  1877,  when  he  removed  to  Mason 
Co.,  and  there  also  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  Jan.  37,  1883,  sold  his  farm  in  Ma- 
son Co.  and  removed  to  Chandlerville,  where 
he  engaged  in  partnership  with  Mr.  A.  G. 
Colson,  in  a  large  furniture  and  agricultural 
implement  business.  Mr.  Kinney  retained 
a  fitie  farm  of  100  acres,  which  he  rents. 
May  20,  1869,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  R. 
Keeth,  a  native  of  Mason  Co.,  111.,  born  Feb. 
4,  1846,  daughter  of  Zeph.  and  Luzannah 
Keeth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kinney  are  the  parents 
of  6  children,  4  of  whom  are  living  :  Mary  E., 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


291 


Lotta,  and  Luzaiinah  E.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Gc»jd  Templars,  and  self  and  wife  are 
connected  with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church.  Politically,  he  is  identified  with  the 
prohibition  ])arty. 

GENERAL  C.  E.   LIPPINCOTT,  retired 
physician  ;    ex-auditor-general  ;  was  born   at 
Edwardsville,  111.,  on  January  36,  1825,  and 
is  the  son  of  Thomas  Lippincott  and  Cath- 
erine  n^e   Leggett.     His  father  removed   to 
Illinois  in  1818,  and  took  a  conspicuous  stand 
against    slavery.      He    afterward    became    a 
Presbyterian  minister,  and  remained  such  un- 
til his  death,  which  occurred  in  April,  1869. 
Mr.  Lippincott's  mother  was  the   daughter  of 
Major    Abraham    Leggett,    of  Revolutionary 
fame,  and  was  married  in  1831.     Our  subject 
after  dividing  his  time   between  school   and 
farm  life    for  some  years,   went  to   the    little 
village  of  Collinsonville,  on  the  bluffs  oppo- 
site  St.    Louis,  and   in  company  with  several 
other  young  men,  rented  a  house,  worked  for 
his    means,  and   entered   upon    a   systematic 
course  of  preparation   for  college.     He  after- 
ward entered  Illinois  College,  but  being  com- 
pelled to  abandon  his  course  before  complet- 
ing it,  did  not  obtain  his  degree  until  some 
years   later.     In  the   spring  of  1849  he  grad- 
uated  from   the  St.  Louis   Medical  College. 
After  he  graduated  he  located   at  Chandler, 
ville,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession.    In  the  spring   of  1852,  owing  to  his 
failing  health.    Dr.    Lippincott   visited    Cali- 
fornia.    He  remained  there  five  years.  While 
there  Dr.  Lippincott  was  elected  to  the  senate 
by  a  large  majority,  and   after  serving  out  his 
term    of    two   years,   was  re-nominated,  but 
through  trickery   was  defeated.     In  1857,  he 
returned  to  his  home  in  Illinois  and  resumed 
his  profession.     At  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Rebellion  he  raised  almost  an  entire  company, 
and  after  the  quota  of  the  State  was   filled, 
again  resumed  his  practice.     After  the  battle 
of  Bull  Run,  he  immediately  wrote  to  Gover- 


nor Yates  tendering  himself  to  the  service  in 
any  capacity.  The  answer  came,  "  Bring 
men."  He  enlisted  a  full  company  in  one 
week,  known  as  Company  K  of  the  Thirty- 
third  Illinois  Infantry,  and  was  elected  Cap- 
tain. At  the  organization  of  the  regiment, 
he  was  tendered  the  Lieutenant-Colonelcy  by 
Governor  Yates,  but  declined.  Within  six 
weeks  after  he  entered  the  service  he  had  a 
desperate  fight,  with  but  half  his  company 
against  300  rebels  under  General  Jeff.  Thomp- 
son. He  was  in  command  of  the  Thirty- 
third  regiment  from  the  spring  of  186"-i  till 
the  fall  of  Mobile.  He  was  commissioned 
Captain  of  Company  K,  September  18,  1861; 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  March  1,  1863;  Colonel, 
September  5,  1862.  Was  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 16, 1865,  as  Brigadier-General.  Upon 
his  return  to  his  home.  General  Lippincott 
was  nominated  Republican  candidate  for 
congress;  the  district  had  a  Democratic  major- 
ity of  over  3,000,  and  he  was  defeated  by  about 
500.  In  January,  1867,  he  was  elected  Sec- 
retary of  the  Illinois  Senate  ;  and  during  the 
session  was  chosen  door-keeper  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  at  Washington.  Before 
the  expiration  of  that  congress  he  was  elected 
Auditor  of  Public  Accounts  of  Illinois,  and 
qualified  during  the  first  week  of  January, 
1869,  and  was  re-elected  in  1873.  He  was 
married  on  December  25,  1851,  to  Miss  Emily 
Webster  Chandler,  daughter  of  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Cass  County,  a  celebrated 
physician. 

WILLIAM  DUDLEY  LEEPER,  de- 
ceased; was  a  native  of  Greene  County,  Ky. ; 
born  Feb.  17,  1817,  and  was  a  son  of  Robert 
A.,  and  Frances  (Summers)  Leeper;  the  for- 
mer was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  emigrated  to 
Illinois  in  1829,  and  came  to  Cass  County  in 
1830,  settling  near  Chandlerville;  the  latter 
(Mrs.  Leeper)  was  also  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
They  had  nine  children,  of  whom  the  subject 
was  the  second,  and  the  eldest  son.     He  was 


292 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


educated  principally  in  the  common  schools 
of  the  county,  and  remained  with  his  parents 
to  the  time  of  their  death.  Of  the  entire 
family  but  one  is  now  living — Robert,  in 
California.  Mr.  Leeper,  during  his  life,  fol- 
lowed farming  and  stock-dealing,  and  by  strict 
integrity  and  business  energy  amassed  consid- 
erable wealth.  He  was  married  June  17, 1858, 
in  Beardstown.  His  second  wife  was  Mary 
Hermyer,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  was  born 
Sept.  30,  1832.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Hermyer,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  and 
came  to  Beardstown  at  an  early  day.  By  his 
first  marriage  Mr.  Leeper  had  three  children. 
viz.:  George  W.,  Albert  A.  and  Arthur.  By 
his  second  marriage  he  had  two  children — 
Mary  E.  and  Henry  S.  Mrs.  Leeper  and  her 
daughter  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church. 

JACOB  METZMAKER,  Jr.,  proprietor 
Park  House,  Chandlervilie;  was  born  in  Au- 
gusta County,  Va.  on  the  1 6th  of  January, 
1844,  and  is  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Susan 
(Chapman)  Metzmaker.  Jacob,  Sr.,  was  born 
in  Augusta  County,  Va,  Jan.  1,  1803;  he 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  Cass  Coun- 
ty, and  settled  in  Virginia  in  the  fall  of 
1855.  His  business  is  that  of  a  farmer,  at 
which  he  still  continues  in  his  seventy-ninth 
year.  His  wife,  and  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Rockingham  County,  Va.,  in 
1802,  and  died  in  Cass  County  in  1871;  she 
was  the  mother  of  twelve  children,  ten  girls 
and  two  boys.  Jacob,  Jr.,  our  subject,  was 
the  ninth  child.  His  education  was  ad- 
vanced in  Augusta  County,  as  he  says,  "as 
far  as  the  single  rule  of  three."  He  also  at- 
tended the  High  School  at  Virginia,  Cass 
County;  he  remained  with  his  parents  until 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  then  em- 
barked on  his  career  in  life  as  a  farmer.  He 
continued  farming  until  1881,  when  he  came 
to  Chandlervilie  and  bought  the  Park  House. 
He    was    married    Nov.    15,   1867,    to    Pris- 


cilla  Evans,  a  native  of  Morgan  County  ;  she 
has  borne  him  the  following  children:  Ethel 
G.,  born  Feb  5,  1869;  Veffie  G.,  born 
March  5,  1870;  Otto  O.,  born  July  1,  1871; 
Eulalie,  born  May  7,  1875.  Mr.  Metzmaker 
served  the  people  of  Virginia  as  Precinct  Con- 
stable and  City  Police,  and  is  filling  the  same 
office  in  Chandlervilie  to  the  entire  satisfac- 
tion of  the  community.  He  has  the  only  pub- 
lic place  of  entertainment  of  the  place;  by 
careful  management  and  study  of  the  needs 
of  the  traveling  public,  he  is  making  a  suc- 
cess of  the  business.  Mr.  Metzmaker  is  a 
Republican;  he  is  a  stirring,  energetic  man, 
who  has  been  careful  to  dabble  in  no  busi- 
ness to  bring  his  name  into  disrepute,  and  as 
a  consequence  he  enjoys  an  honorable  name 
and  reputation. 

CHARLES  McKEE,  lumber  merchant, 
Chandlervilie,  was  born  in  Bristol,  Connecti- 
cut, Sept.  3,  1833,  to  Levi  and  Sophia 
(Alcott)  McKee;  he  was  born  in  Connecticut, 
and  emigrated  to  Illinois  in  1843,  settling  in 
Hancock  County,  and  in  1846  removed  to 
Cass  County;  was  a  wagon-maker,  and  died 
in  Chandlervilie.  His  wife,  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and 
died  in  1877;  she  was  the  mother  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Charles  was  the  sixth.  At 
about  twenty  years  of  age  he  apprenticed 
himself  at  the  wagon-maker's  trade,  and 
worked  at  the  same  until  1860,  when  he  en- 
gaged as  clerk  in  a  drug  store  in  Chandler- 
vilie, and  continued  for  about  four  years.  In 
1864  he  went  west  to  Kansas  and  Iowa, 
where  he  clerked  for  about  two  and  a  half 
years.  In  1867  he  returned  to  Chandlervilie, 
and  in  1876  engaged  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
Goodell,  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1860  he 
married  Ellen  Thompson,  a  native  of  Ireland; 
born  in  1843  and  dying  in  1863;  leaving  two 
children,  one  of  whom  is  still  living:  Robert 
J.  Mr.  McKee  is  a  Mason,  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church,  and  a  Republican. 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


293 


W.  K.  MERTZ,  banker,  ChandlerviUe;  he 
was  born  in  Beardstown,  Cass  Co.,  Dec.  18, 
1853,  to  J.  Henry  and  Louisa  E.  (Hardt) 
Mertz;  he  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1810,  emi- 
grated to  America  in  ISoO,  and  settled  in 
Williamsburg',  N.  Y.,  but  soon  after  removed 
to  Chicago,  where  he  remained  but  one  year, 
when  he  removed  to  Beardstown,  Cass  Co., 
dying  in  1875  ;  his  wife,  the  mother  of  our 
subject,  was  also  born  in  Germany,  in  1814, 
and  is  now  residing  in  Beardstown,  enjoying 
good  health;  she  is  the  mother  of  six  children, 
of  whom  W.  K.  is  the  fifth.  Our  subject  for 
several  years  clerked  at  various  places,  and  in 
April,  1873,  came  to  ChandlerviUe  and  en- 
tered the  employ  of  Lippincott,  Chandler  & 
Co,  bankers,  and  remained  with  them  until 
they  sold  out,  in  February,  1881,  when  he 
became  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Petefish, 
Skiles  &  Mertz,  and  has  since  conducted  the 
business.  On  June  23, 1870,  he  married  Miss 
Kate  Norton,  in  Cass  County,  daughter  of  P. 
T.  Norton,  of  ChandlerviUe.  She  died  May 
5,  1881,  leaving  one  child,  William  Norton. 
Mr.  Mertz  is  Township  Treasurer,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  town  board.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Republican. 

GOTTLIEB  NOLLSCH,  farmer,  P.  O., 
ChandlerviUe,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this 
work,  was  born  April  3,  1832,  in  Dtlrnau, 
Wurtemberg,  Germany.  His  parents,  John 
R.  and  Elizabeth  (Gerber)  NoUsch,  kept  a  ho- 
tel and  bakery.  They  had  eleven  children, 
as  follows:  John  L.,  living  in  this  county; 
John  P.,  in  Quincy,  111.;  Mary,  deceased;. 
John  E.,  deceased;  Mary  Duchardt,  Qass 
county;  John,  Springfield;  Gottlieb,  this 
county;  Lena  Eckart,  this  county;  Thomas, 
Montgomery  County,  Kansas;  Frederick,  de- 
ceased, in  August,  1841.  Mr.  NOllsch's  pa- 
rents removed  to  Illinois,  and  settled  three 
miles  from  the  present  site  of  Virginia.  Gott- 
lieb remained  at  home,  working  on  the  farm, 
until  he  was  about  twenty-six  years  old.     On 


March  13,  1848,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Dor- 
othy Lutz,  daughter  of  Laurence  Lutz,  who 
is  of  French  birth.  Her  parents  removed  to 
this  county  in  1837.  Mr.  NOllsch  had  born  to 
him  six  children,  as  follows:  Laurence,  borv 
Dec.  11,  1851;  infant,  Nov.  7,  1853,  died  a.\ 
birth;  William  Henry,  March  23,  1855;  Gott. 
lieb  Benjamin,  April  13,  1857,  deceased  Oc. 
tober,  1859;  Carl  Edward,  June  19,  1859,  de- 
ceased January,  1869;  Gottlieb  Benjamin, 
March  2,  1863.  His  oldest  son,  Laurence, 
was  married  March  11,  1873,  to  Martha  E. 
Jokisch.  They  have  five  children:  Susan, 
Louisa,  Bismark,  Charley  and  Albert.  In 
1851,  Mr.  Nollsch  bought  his  first  land,  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  he  began  buy- 
ing and  feeding  cattle  and  hogs.  He  paid 
off  the  first  purchase,  and  has  since  continued 
to  add  to  the  farm,  until  at  present  he  owns 
eight  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  of  land, 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  fam- 
ly  residence  is  a  beautiful  and  commodious 
brick  structure,  built  by  the  design  of  Mr. 
Nollsch.  On  Sept.  24,  1804,  Mrs.  Nollsch  was 
called  to  leave  her  companion  and  children. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Gorman  Methodist 
church  from  childhood.  On  Nov.  28,  1804,  Mr. 
Nollsch  was  again  married  to  Mrs.  Catharine 
Mauler,  widow  of  Henry  Mauler,  and  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Barbara  Hobig.  She  had 
two  children  by  her  first  husband,  Amelia  E., 
born  July  5,  1858,  Caroline,  May  15,  1860. 
By  this  wife,  Mr.  Nollsch  has  born  to  him 
seven  children:  Annie  Margaret,  born  Oct. 
8,  1865;  Mary  Magdaline,  Feb.  10,  1867; 
Adolph  Walter,  Nov.  22, 1868;  George  Thom- 
as, Oct.  18,  1870;  George  Herman,  March 
33,  1873;  Alfred,  Dec.  5,  1876;  Phillip, 
July  13,  1879.  Mr.  Nollsch  and  lady  are 
members  of  the  German  Methodist  Church, 
in  which  denomination  they  have  faithfully 
served  their  Master,  the  former  for  thirty-four 
years,  and  the  latter  twenty-eight  years. 
PIUS    NEFF,     merchant;    ChandlerviUe; 


294 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


was  born  in  Germany,  April  29,  1834,  to 
Ignatz  and  Mary  A.  (Bower)  Neff.  Our  sub- 
ject attended  the  common  schools  of  Ger- 
many until  he  was  ten  years  of  age,  when 
with  his  parents  he  emigrated  to  Pennsylva- 
nia, where  he  succeeded  in  acquiring  a  good 
business  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  he  began  working  upon  a  farm,  which  he 
continued  for  several  years,  when  he  entered 
the  store  of  J.  J.  Mish,  of  Peoria,  as  Clerk, 
where  he  continued  until  1863,  when  he 
started  a  grocery  store  in  Peoria.  In  1864 
he  sold  out  his  business,  and  removed  to 
Chandlerville,  where  he  has  since  remained 
enaraged  in  mercantile  business,  being  one  of 
the  leading  business  men  of  Chandlerville. 
In  1857,  in  Pennsylvania,  he  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Glaus,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  in  1833.  She  is  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living,  viz.: 
Mary,  wife  of  Jacob  Euteneuer,  of  Havana, 
111.;  Frank,  George,  Gustavus,  William,  and 
Leo.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
Germany,  in  1800,  and  died  in  1871.  He 
was  in  the  old  country  a  potter,  and  in  Amer- 
ica followed  farming;  he  came  to  America  in 
1844.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  Germany  in  1802,  and  is  now  residing  in 
Pennsylvania,  enjoying  good  health;  she  is 
the  mother  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  Pius 
Neff  was  the  sixth.  He  has  been  School 
Treasurer  of  Chandlerville  Township  for  ten 
years,  and  still  holding  that  office.  He  has 
held  Town  Board  office  six  times,  and  acted  as 
President  of  the  Board  for  three  terms.  Our 
subject  and  family  are  members  of  the  Cath- 
olic church.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat. 
When  Mr.  Neff  first  came,  he  was  one  of  the 
Board  of  School  Directors,  and  with  the 
other  members,  was  influential  in  building 
the  large  and  commodious  school  house  of  the 
city. 

WILLIAM  A.  NEILL,  postmaster,  Chan- 
dlerviilr;     was     born     in     Knox   County,  O., 


April  18, 1841,  to  William  and  Sarah  (Gibson) 
Neill.  William  Neill,  our  subject's  father, 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  February  1807; 
removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day,  and  from  Ohio 
to  Illinois  in  1848,  and  settled  in  Morgan 
County,  where  he  is  now  residing;  has  followed 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  but  is  now  retired. 
His  wife,  and  mother  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Ohio,  in  1812,  and  is  still  living;  she  is  the 
mother  of  twelve  children,  of  whom  William, 
our  subject,  and  John  F.,  of  Arcadia,  111.,  are 
living.  Our  subject  lived  at  home  till  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  enlisted  in 
Co.  G,Thirty- fourth  Illinois,  under  command  of 
Col.  Ed.  P.  Kirk,  and  served  for  seven  months. 
He  then  returned  to  Morgan  County,  and  was 
apprenticed  to  the  harness  maker's  trade,  and 
worked  there  for  about  one  and  a  half  years. 
In  May,  1865,  he  moved  to  Chandlerville, 
where  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  at  his  trade 
for  several  years,  and  in  1870  opened  a  harness 
shop  there.  In  1876  he  was  appointed  post- 
master, which  office  he  is  now  holding;  he 
also  works  some  at  his  trade;  and  also  does 
some  first  class  job  printing,  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  business  men  of  town  and  vicini- 
ty; and  also  keeps  a  stationery  and  cigar  store, 
in  connection  with  his  other  business.  On 
Feb.  21,  1866,  he  married  Maria  J.  Parr,  a 
native  of  Illinois,  daughter  of  Oliver  Parr  (de- 
teased).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neill  are  the  parents 
of  one  child,  Fred;  born  May  24,  1879. 
Mrs.  Neill  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  Mr.  Neill  of  the  Methodist.  He 
is  a  Republican,  and  cast  his  first  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln,  the  first  time  be  ran. 

PHILO  T.  NORTON,  tin  and  hardware; 
Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Wheeling,  Va., 
April  29,  1826,  to  Thomas  P.  and  Mary  E. 
(Goldenborough)  Norton;  he,  born  in  Massa- 
chusetts, and  emigrated  to  Burton,  O.,  in  1812 
removed  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  1822  removed  to 
Wheeling,  Va.,  and  in  1844  emigrated  to  Cass 
County,  and  settled  in  Beardstowu,  where  he 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


295 


remained  to  the  time  of  liis  death,  which  occur- 
red in  1853;  his  Nvit'e  was  also  a  native  of 
Wheeling,  where  she  died,  and  was  the  mother 
of  seven  children,  Philo  T.  being  the  oldest. 
He  was  a  cabin-boy  on  a  steamer  on  the  Ohio, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  came  with  his 
parents  to  Beardstown,  Cass  County,  and  with 
his  father,  started  a  tin  and  hardware  store. 
In  1859  he  came  to  Chandlerviile,  where  he 
also  engaged  in  the  tin  business,  being  one  of 
the  leadinff  business  men  of  the  town.  In 
1852,  in  Beardstown,  he  married  Miss  Mary 
E.  Clark,  a  native  of  Beardstown,  who  is  now 
dead;  she  was  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  now  living:  Charles  C. 
and  Emma.  In  Beardstown  Mr.  Norton  acted 
as  Marshal  for  two  years  (in  1853  and  1858), 
and  also  Deputy  Sheriff  and  Coroner  for 
eight  vears,  beinff  elected  in  184G;  he  is  a 
member  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  a  Demo- 
crat. 

CAPT.  SHERMAN  PADDOCK,  retired 
sea  captain,  Chandlerviile;  was  born  in  Middle- 
town,  Conn.,  June  4,  1831,  to  Joseph  and  Mary 
H.  (Austin)  Paddock;  he,  born  in  Connecticut 
in  October,  1798;  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer,  and  died  in  his  native  State  Dec.  6, 
1877;  his  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Connecticut,  May  3, 1799,  and  died  in 
the  same  State  Jan.  8,1881;  she  was  the  mother 
of  five  children,  of  whom  the  Captain  was  the 
fourth.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  county,  and  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  made  his  first  voyage  to  the  island 
of  Santa  Cruz.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  was 
second  mate  of  a  vessel,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  became  first  mate,  and  continued  as 
first  mate  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  at  which  time  he  became  master,  and 
served  in  that  position  until  July  15,  1879  on 
different  classes  of  vessels.  The  Captain  has 
made  many  trips  to  Europe,  South  America, 
the  East  Indies,  and,  in  fact,  to  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  world.     During  his  sea  life  he  became 


interested  in  the  ownership  of  several  vessels, 
and  is  at  the  present  time  part  owner  in  sev- 
eral vessels.  In  1879  he  made  up  his  mind 
to  retire  from  sea  life,  and  in  August  of  that 
year,  removed  his  family  to  his  present  resi- 
dence, it  being  his  intention  to  remain  here 
until  the  Supreme  Captain  of  the  Watch  should 
call  him  to  his  last  "  eight  bells  below."  The 
Captain  enjoys  good  health,  and  is  considered 
one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Cass  County. 
In  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Henrietta 
Spencer,  a  native  of  Middletown,  Conn.  She 
died  in  1870,  leaving  two  children  :  Carry, 
residing  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  and  Frederick 
S.,  of  Connecticut.  July  28, 1880,  he  married 
Caroline  Joeckel,  a  native  of  Indiana.  Polit- 
ically, is  identified  with  the  Democratic  party. 
In  his  sea  life  he  never  met  with  an  accident. 
His  oldest  brother  was  one  of  the  oldest  set- 
tlers of  Chandlerviile. 

JEPTHA  PLASTER,  retired  farmer;  P. 
O.  Chandlerviile;  he  was  born  on  ^le  19th 
day  of  March,  1837,  in  Robertson  County, 
Tenn.,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Eliza- 
beth (Batts)  Plaster.  Thomas  Plaster,  his 
father,  was  born  in  Robertson  County,  Tenn., 
on  the  Gth  day  of  May,  1803;  emigrated  to 
Cass  County,  111.,  in  1838,  where  he  entered  a 
small  tract  of  land.  He  followed  farming 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  May  30,  1858. 
He  served  in  the  "  Black  Hawk  "  war.  His 
mother  was  born  in  Robertson  County,  Tenn., 
in  1803,  and  died  in  1853.  Mr.  Plaster's 
early  education  was  quite  limited,  although 
later  in  life  he  succeeded  in  gaining  a  good 
practical  business  education.  ^.&  followed 
farming,  until  the  spring  of  1881,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  about  one  year,  while  he  was  en- 
gaged in  mining  in  California.  In  1880,  he 
erected,  by  his  own  design,  a  large  commodi- 
ous residence  in  Chandlerviile,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  about  900 
acres  of  land,  the  most  of  which  is  under  a 
hiu-h  state  of  cultivation.      Our  subject   was 


296 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


married  in  Mason  County,  Oct.  14,  1858,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  and  Rosanna 
(Adkins)  Johnson.  Mrs.  Plaster  was  born  in 
Cass  County,  on  the  15th  of  March,  1838.  Mr. 
Plaster  was  elected,  and  served  the  people 
four  years,  as  Associate  Justice. 

A.  M.  PENDLETON,  dealer  in  grain  and 
agricultural  implements,  Chandlerville  ;  was 
born  in  Monroe  County,  Mo.,  Dec.  28,  1840, 
to  John  and  Elizabeth  (Odell)  Pendleton. 
John  Pendelton  was  born  in  Culpepper 
County,  Va.,  Aug.  1,  1805  ;  emigrated  to 
Missouri  in  1830,  where  he  is  now  residing, 
engaged  in  farming.  His  wife,  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Rappahannock,  Va., 
Aug.  22, 1812,  and  died  in  1871.  She  was  the 
mother  of  ten  children,  of  whom  Arthur  M. 
was  the  third  ;  of  the  ten  children  but  four 
are  now  living.  At  about  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years,  he  entered  as  clerk  in  a  drug  store 
in  Paris,  Mo.,  where  he  continued  until  about 
the  time  of  the  war.  In  1861,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Third  Missouri  Reg.  State  Troops,  and 
served  for  about  fifteen  months.  After  his  re- 
turn from  the  armj',  he  again  engaged  as 
clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store  at  St.  Louis,  and 
various  other  places.  In  1867,  he  removed 
to  Illinois,  and  engaged  in  teaching  school  in 
Menard  and  Cass  Counties,  and  in  Chandler- 
ville High  School,  of  which  he  was  Principal 
for  three  years  and  a  half.  In  1879,  he  en- 
gaged in  the  grain  and  agricultural  imple- 
ment business.  In  1869,  he  married  Miss 
Hester  Hewitt,  a  native  of  New  Jersey  ; 
born  Nov.  9,  1843  ;  she  is  the  mother  of 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  living  :  Stel- 
la, aged  ten  years,  and  Arthur  M.,  jr.,  aged 
eight.  Is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.; 
is  Secretary  of  the  Lodge.  He  has  held  the 
office  of  Village  Clerk  for  two  years.  Polit- 
ically, Democratic. 

N.  S.  READ,  M.  D.,  Chandlerville,  was  born 
in  Ashtabula  County,  O.,  July  25,  1820,  to  Ira 
and  Mary  (Smith)  Read;  he,  born  in  Tyring- 


ham,  Mass.,  Feb.  25,  1790;  he  was  a  farmer; 
emigrated  to  Ohio  about  1815,  and  died  Oct. 
31,  1861;  she  was  born  in  Tyringham,  Mass., 
July  23,  1790,  and  died  April  21,  18G9;  was 
the  mother  of  six  children,  four  boys  and  two 
girls,  N.  S.  being  the  third.  Of  the  six  chil- 
dren, five  are  now  living.  In  1811,  our  sub- 
ject began  the  study  of  medicine,  with  his 
brother,  A.  N.  Read,  of  Norwalk,  O.  In  1843 
entered  the  medical  college  at  Cleveland,  O., 
and  graduated  in  1844;  His  first  practice  of 
his  profession  was  in  Ashtabula  County,  O. 
In  1846  he  removed  to  Geauga  County,  O., 
where  be  remained  until  1852,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Chandlerville, 
his  present  residence,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. Oct.  1,  1811^,  in  Geauga  County, 
O.,  he  married  Miss  Lydia  C.  Canfield,  a 
native  of  Geauga  Cjuiity,  born  Jan.  11, 
1826.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Orin  and  Anna 
(Beard)  Canfield.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Read  are 
the  parents  of  five  children,  two  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Ira,  and  Lucy,  wife  of  John 
Morse,  of  Chandlerville.  He  is  an  active 
member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the 
Chapter.  Self  and  family  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  Church,  and  he  has  acted  as 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  for 
twenty-nine  consecutive  years.  Politically,  he 
is  a  Republican.  Is  a  member  of  the  Morgan 
County  Medical  Society,  the  Illinois  State  So- 
ciety, and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
PETER  W.  RICKARD,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Chandlerville;  is  a  native  of  Windham 
County,  Connecticut.  He  was  born  Aug. 
26,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Peter  and  Mary 
(Heley)  Rickard.  His  father  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  in  1769,  and  died  in  July, 
1823.  He  was  killed  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  His  mother  was  also  a  native  of 
Massachusetts.  She  was  born  in  1783,  and 
died  in  1852.  Peter  W.  was  educated  in 
Connecticut  in  the  Duley  and  Thompson 
Academies.     His  early  life  was   spent  at  the 


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CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


299 


home  of  his  brother-in-law,  Erastus  Childs. 
In  ]8J:-i,  he  came  to  Cass  County,  where  he 
has  since  remained,  engaged  in  teaching 
school,  merchandising  and  farming.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  tilling  the  soil  of  230  acres 
of  well  improved  land.  In  184Q  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  Peas,  who  bore  him  one 
child,  Henry,  now  living  in  Morgan  County- 
He  married  a  second  time,  Mary  Harbison, 
who  died  a  few  years  afterward,  and  in  1859 
he  married  Mary  C.  Taylor,  who  has  borne 
him  six  children,  viz.:  Charles  E.,  John  T., 
Frank  M.,  Emma  and  James  A.  Mr.  Rickard 
is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Rickard  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

JOSEPH  RAWORTH,  farmer;  P.  O. 
(/handlerville;  was  born  in  Sheffield,  England, 
Dec.  30,  1820,  and  is  the  eldest  of  two  chil- 
dren, born  to  Ebenezer  H.  and  Sarah  (Wing) 
Raworth,  natives  of  England.  Ebenezer  H. 
Raworth,  who  was  a  grocer,  died  Aug.  11, 
1858,  aged  sixty-six  years,  and  was  interred 
at  the  Cemetery  Church,  Sheffield,  England; 
his  wife,  born  in  1799,  died  in  1824.  Joseph 
received  his  primary  education  in  the  parish 
schools,  finishing  at  Mooregate  Academy,  near 
Rotherham,  England.  In  1844,  he  came  to 
America,  landed  in  New  Orleans  the  fifth  of 
April  that  year,  engaged  in  steamboating  two 
years,  taught  school  three  months  in  184G, 
■went  to  Scott  County,  Ills.,  and  began  farm- 
ing, and  in  1860  came  to  this  county.  He 
has  since  followed  farming  in  this  county, 
and  now  has  105  acres  here  and  320  acres  in 
Nebraska,  all  of  which  has  been  made  by  his 
own  labors,  he  having  had  only  a  crown  in 
his  pocket  when  he  landed  in  New  Orleans. 
He  married  in  Mason  County,  Ills.,  in  August 
1857,  Alice  Tomlinson,  a  native  of  England, 
born  in  February,  1832.  From  this  union  six 
children  have  been  born:  Ebenezer,  Mary, 
John,  Emeline  (deceased),  Elizabeth,  and 
Richard  D.  Mr.  Raworth  is  a  Greenbacker; 
he  and  his  wife  are  Methodists. 


ALFRED  T.  SMITH,  miller,  Chandler- 
ville;  was  born  in  Chemung  County,  N.  Y., 
Jan.  20,  1831;  to  Samuel  and  Anna  (Roads) 
Smith.  Samuel  Smith  was  born  in  New 
York,  November  27,  1790;  removed  to  Illi- 
nois in  fall  of  1837,  and  settled  in  Menard 
County,  where  he  followed  the  occupation  of 
a  farmer;  in  1852  he  removed  to  this  county, 
where  he  also  engaged  in  farming;  he  died 
Jan.  21,  1871?;  he  was  in  the  war  of  1812. 
His  wife,  and  mother  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Duchess  County,  N.  Y.,  January 
15,  1802,  and  died  July  11,  1870;  she  was 
the  mother  of  ten  children,  five  boys  and 
five  girls,  all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 
Of  the  ten  children,  Alfred  T.  was  the  fifth 
child.  When  six  years  of  age  he  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  parents,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two  engaged  as  a  farm  hand;  he  contin- 
ued in  that  occupation  about  three  years; 
then  followed  the  trade  of  house  painting  in 
this  county,  until  1879,  when  he  engaged  in 
the  milling  business  with  Mr.  W.  W.  Baker, 
at  Chandlerville;  the  present  firm  is  Smith 
and  Carr;  their  mill  is  called  Chandlerville 
Mills,  and  makes  the  well  known  brand  of 
"Gilt  Edge,"  flour  in  which  they  have  a 
large  trade.  The  mill  has  now  a  capacity  of 
fourteen  barrels  per  day,  and  they  intend  en- 
larging and  improving  it.  April  15,  1866, 
he  married  Miss  Laura  J.  Chapman,  a  native 
of  Illinois,  born  Sept.  24,  1842,  daughter 
of  Jesse  M.,  and  Margaret  (McGahan)  Chap- 
man; he,  born  March  4,  1794,  died  November 
5, 1871;  she,  born  August  8, 1800,  died  April 
27,  1848.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  five 
children:  Albert,  Charles  C,  Anna  M.,  Laura 
and  Edward.     He  is  independent  in  politics. 

B.  H.  SHANKLAND,  retired  farmer;  P. 
O.  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Nicholas  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  Nov.  23, 1843,  son  of  A.  G.  and  Judith 
(Stoops)  Sliankland.  He,  A.  G.,  was  a  native 
of  Nicholas  County,  Ky.,  and  was  mar- 
ried Doc.  29,  1825,  moving  to  Brown  County, 


300 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


III.,  in  1853,  where  he  remained  till  185(5, 
when  he  moved  to  his  late  residence,  where 
he  lived  till  death  called  him  away.  May  7, 
1881,  aged  74  years.  He  raised  a  family  of 
nine  children,  four  girls  and  five  boys,  all  of 
whom  are  living,  except  one,  Mrs.  James 
Plew,  who  died  three  years  ago.  Mr.  Shank- 
land  was  a  useful  and  consistent  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church  for  over  fifty  years,  and 
was  loved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  wife,  who  is  still  living  in  Brown 
County,  was  also  a  native  of  Nicholas  County, 
Ky.,  and  was  born  within  11  days  of  the  birth 
of  her  husband.  At  the  age  of  19,  our  sub- 
ject left  home,  and  began  farming  on  his  own 
account,  but  removed  in  1874  to  this  county. 
In  April,  18S1,  he  retired  from  farming,  and 
removed  to  Chandlerville.  He  owns  about 
600  acres  of  land.  April  3,  1861,  he  married 
Miss  Henrietta  Briggs,  a  native  of  Brown 
County,  who  died  in  1871,  leaving  five  chil- 
dren, only  one  of  whom  is  now  living,  Laura 
Belle,  born  Nov.  24,  1871.  Feb.  2,  1876,  he 
married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Dick,  of  Menard 
County,  daughter  of  William  and  Jane  Peak, 
natives  of  Kentucky.  Two  children  are  the 
result  of  this  union:  Lee,  born  May  30,  1878, 
and  Ora,  born  May  20,  1881.  Mr.  Shankland 
served  in  the  late  war  about  six  months,  as  a 
member  of  Company  F,  135th  Reg.  Ind.  Vol. 
He  and  wife  are  Methodists,  and  he  is  an  A. 
F.  and  A.  M.,  and  a  Democrat. 

THOMAS  P.  TAYLOR,  retired  merchant, 
Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, June  18,  1828,  to  Mark  and  Ann  (Scott) 
Taylor;  he,  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  in 
J  779,  and  died  in  1844;  she,  born  in  Lanca- 
shire, England,  in  1789,  and  died  in  1864;  she 
was  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom 
Thomas  was  the  eighth.  He  began  working 
in  a  cotton  factory  when  eight  years  old,  and 
was  principally  engaged  in  the  factory  until 
he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when  he 
came  to  America,  and  made  his  first  stop  in 


Delaware  County,  Penn.,  and  engaged  in  a 
woolen  mill.  In  1853,  he  went  to  Pottsville, 
Penn.,  and  from  there  to  Delaware,  and  then 
returned  to  Pennsylvania  and  remained  about 
twelve  months.  In  1855,  he  removed  to  Illi- 
nois, and  settled  in  Morgan  County.  In 
March,  1850,  he  removed  to  Cass  County,  and 
settled  on  the  bottom  lands,  and  engaged 
with  one  Mr.  Fielding  upon  a  farm,  until 
1802,  when  he  bought  a  farm  of  about  250 
acres  in  Cass  County,  and  began  farming  on 
his  own  account.  In  1877  he  removed  to 
Chandlerville,  and  engaged  in  mercantile 
Ijusiness,  which  he  continued  until  April, 
1882,  when  he  sold  his  business  to  Mr.  Morse, 
and  retired  from  active  labor.  In  July,  1862, 
he  married  Miss  Ann  Fielding,  a  native  of 
England;  born  Feb.  28,  1821;  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Betty  (Bellfield)  Fielding.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Taylor  were  the  parents  of  one 
child,  who  is  dead.  Our  subject  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Politically, 
he  is  a  Republican. 

Z.  A.  THOMPSON,  merchant;  Chandler- 
ville; was  born  in  Petersburgh,  111.,  Dec. 
27,  1858,  to  Aaron  and  Amanda  ( Flinn ) 
Thompson  ;  his  father  was  born  in  New  Jer- 
sey, Jan.  28,  1810;  was  a  sea  captain  and 
emigrated  to  Illinois  about  1830,  settling  in 
Sangamon  County,  and  removed  to  Menard 
County  in  1835,  where  he  is  still  residing,  en- 
gaged extensively  in  stock  raising  and  farm- 
ing. His  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky,  Sept. 
22,  1837,  and  is  the  mother  of  five  children, 
of  whom  L.  A.  Tliompson  is  the  second  child. 
In  addition  to  the  ordinary  schools,  he  attend- 
ed the  Illinois  College  from  1874  to  1877,  and 
in  1878  he  entered  the  University  of  Ann  Ar- 
bor, Mich.,  where  he  studied  law.  In  1879,  he 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Chand- 
lerville, where  he  has  since  remained  engag- 
ed in  the  same  business,  and  is  at  the  present 
time  considered  one  of  the  leading  business 


CHANDLERVILLE  PRECINCT. 


301 


men  of  the  town.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.  Politically,  he  is  identified 
■with  the  Democratic  party. 

PETER  VOLLMERR,  grocer;  Chandler- 
ville;  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Aug. 
6, 1848,  to  Peter  and  Margaret  (Klinck)  Voll- 
uierr;  he  was  born  in  G(Mman\',  where  he  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  dying  in 
1881,  aged  eighty  years.  His  wife,  the  moth- 
er of  our  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, where  she  died  when  Peter  was  an 
infant.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  boys 
and  one  girl,  our  subject  being  the  only  one 
in  America.  He  left  his  home  when  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  landed  in  New  York, 
Dec.  14,  1808;  then  went  to  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  where  he  remained  two  years.  In 
1870  he  came  to  Chandlerville,  where  he  en- 
gaged as  a  farm  hand  for  about  four  years, 
when  he  built  a  fine  brick  block,  and  started 
in  the  grocery  business,  where  he  also  con- 
ducts a  bakery.  He  has  met  with  good  suc- 
cess, having  commenced  poor,  and  is  now 
among  the  leading  businessmen  of  Chandler- 
ville. He  was  married  in  Cass  County  in 
1876,  to  Miss  Lettie  Durring,  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, who  is  the  mother  of  two  children: 
Alice  and  John.  He  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  German  Lutheran  Church;  and  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

WILLIAM  L.  WAY,  grain  dealer,  Chand- 
lerville; was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Ind., 
Nov.  3,  18-23,  to  Samuel  and  Ruth  (Parr)  Way. 
Samuel  Way  was  born  in  Bristol,  England; 
emigrated  to  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Aug.  18,  1819, 
and  settled  in  Crawford  County,  Ind.,  where  he 
married  ;  he  came  to  this  county  in  November, 
1837,  where  he  followed  farming  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  183G ;  his  wife  was 
born  in  Adair  County,  Ky.,  and  died  in  Chand- 
lerville, this  countv,  in  April,  1864;  she  was 
the  mother  of  seven  children,  five  boys  and 
two  girls,  our  subject  being  the  oldest.  At 
twenty-four     years    of    age    he   engaged    as 


clerk  in  a  store  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  and 
after  two  years  went  to  Beardstown,  where  he 
was  engaged  by  John  McDonald,  as  dry  goods 
and  grocery  clerk.  He  remained  with  Mr. 
McDonald  as  clerk,  one  year,  when  the  latter 
started  him  in  business  in  Chandlerville  under 
the  firm  name  W.  L.  Way  &  Co.,  and  after 
continuing  under  that  name  three  years,  Mr. 
Way  bought  out  the  interest  of  his  employer, 
and  carried  on  the  business  alone  until  1865, 
when  he  sold  out  and  went  to  Iowa,  where  he 
sold  goods  and  packed  pork.  In  1867  he  re- 
turned to  Chandlerville,  where  he  has  since 
remained,  engaged  in  the  grain  and  mercan- 
tile business.  He  was  married  in  this  county 
in  1804,  to  Emeline,  daughter  of  David  Carr, 
and  a  native  of  this  county.  They  have  three 
boys  :  David  Henry,  assisting  his  father  in 
the  grain  business,  Thomas  Edward  and  Will- 
iam Carr,  also  assisting  their  father.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  I.  O.  O.  F. 

ELIJAH  WATKINS,  livery  and  sale  sta- 
ble, Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Cass  County, 
111.,  Feb.  3, 1859,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and 
Emeline  (Hinchee)  Watkins.  His  early  life 
was  spent  in  receiving  such  an  education  as 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  county  af- 
forded, and  assisting  in  tilling  the  soil  of  his 
father's  farm.  Being  raised  on  a  farm,  Mr. 
Watkins  in  1879  began  farming  on  his  own 
account,  working  a  farm  of  sixty-five  acres. 
In  1883  he  bought,  of  Mr.  Philo  T.  Norton,  the 
sale  and  livery  stable  which  he  is  now  man- 
aging. By  careful  management,  and  study 
of  the  needs  of  the  traveling  public,  he  is 
making  a  success  of  this  business.  In  1879, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Cone.  Two 
children  are  the  result  of  this  union,  viz.:  Ora 
Lee,  and  an  infant  (unnamed). 

FRANK  ZILLION,  farmer,  P.O.Virginia; 
is  a  native  of  Prussia,  Germany;  born  Aug. 
24, 1835;  son  of  Godfried  and  Louisa  (Prong) 
Zillion,  natives  of  Germany,  where  they  both 
died.     He   is  the  fifth  child  of  a   family  of 


302 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


eight  children,  and  received  his  education  in 
^the  common  schools  of  his  native  land.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  he  apprenticed  to  the  black- 
smith's trade,  at  which  he  worked  till  1855, 
when  he  emigrated  to  America,  and  landed  in 
New  York;  moved  to  Illinois  the  same  week; 
worked  at  Quincy  at  his  trade  for  about  a 
month,  then  came  to  this  county,  settled  in 
Virginia,  and  worked  by  the  month  on  a  farm 
for  three  years.  In  1858,  he  rented  land  in 
Sangamon  County,  111.,  which  he  farmed  two 
years,  then  came  back  to  this  county  and  en- 


listed in  the  6th  111.  Cavalry,  and  after  serving 
four  years  and  two  months,  returned  to  tliis 
county,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land, 
and  has  since  followed  farming.  During  his 
services  he  took  part  under  Gen.  Hunt,  in 
the  engagements  around  Nashville,  Tenn. 
He  married  in  this  county  in  18G6,  Kate  Yeo- 
mens ;  they  have  nine  children,  of  whom 
seven  are  living,  viz.:  Joseph,  Charles,  Willie, 
Eliza,  Frank,  John,  and  Kate.  Mr.  Zillion  is 
a  Republican. 


ASHLAND  PRECINCT. 


303 


ASHLAPJO    PRECiNCT. 


ISAAC  N.  BEAVER,  druggist,  Ashland, 
was  born  in  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary 3,  1833,  to  Isaac  and  Rachael  (Boj-er) 
Beaver,  natives  of  Virginia.  His  father  was 
born  January  5, 1793,  and  was  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation ;  his  death  occurred  May  1, 
1847;  his  wife  died  in  1839,  aged  about 
thirty-five  years;  she  was  the  mother  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  Isaac  was  the  sixth  child. 
When  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age,  he  en- 
gaged to  learn  the  trade  of  a  tanner,  at  which 
business  he  remained  about  nine  years,  after 
which  he  farmed  ten  or  fifteen  years,  and 
then  entered  the  drug  business.  In  the  spring 
of  18S0,  he  came  to  Ashland,  this  county, 
where  he  purchased  the  drug  business  of  B. 
C.  Randall,  and  has  since  continued  in  that 
business,  at  which  he  has  been  more  than  or- 
dinarily successful,  and  has  built  up  a  large 
and  steadily  increasing  business.  He  was 
married  in  Champaign  County,  Ohio,  March 
7,  1854,  to  Miss  Ruannah  Hess,  who  was 
born  in  Seneca  County,  Ohio,  June  26, 
1832;  she  is  the  mother  of  six  children,  of 
whom  three  are  still  living,  the  balance  of 
whom  died  in  infancy;  those  living  are  Ella, 
wife  of  Dr.  Shannon,  of  Industry.,  Ill;  Ro- 
manus,  living  at  home  and  interested  in  the 
drug  business  with  his  father;  Orra,  residing 
at  Industry,  engaged  in  the  drug  business, 
with  his  brother-in-law.  Dr.  Shannon.  Mrs. 
Beaver  is  a  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Sarah 
(Zerkle)  Hess,  natives  of  Virginia,  and  of 
German  descent;  both  still  living  near  Indus- 
try, Illinois.  Mr.  Beaver  has  been  an  active 
member  of  the  fraternity  of  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 
for  about  26  j'ears,  and  has  held  offices  of  more 
or  less  importance  about  one-half  of  the  time. 
Politically  he  has  been  a  life  long  Republican; 


always  takes  a  part  in  any  county  enterprise 
that  favors  the  interest  of  the  county,  such 
as  churches,  schools,  and  all  other  public  im- 
provements. 

JOHN  BLANK,  hardware  merchant;  Ash- 
land; was  born  in  Germany,  Nov.  15,  1840;  re- 
ceived his  education  in  his  native  land,  and  as- 
sisted in  a  bakery  until  he  was  seventeen  years 
of  age,  when  he  emigrated  to  America,  and  lo- 
cated at  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
about  five  years,  and  during  the  time  learned 
the  trade  of  a  tinner.  In  1871  he  removed  to 
Ashland,  and  worked  for  a  Mr.  Cullum, 
whom  he  bought  out,  and  continued  the  bus- 
iness upon  his  own  account;  at  present  his 
store  is  well  stocked  with  the  goods  usually 
found  in  a  hardware  store  and  tinshop  com- 
bined. He  was  married  Nov.  25,  1867,  to 
Almira  Best,  who  was  born  in  Cass  County, 
June  19,  1850;  she  is  the  mother  of  four 
children:  Leonia,  Delia,  Gertrude  and  John. 
Mrs.  Blank  is  a  daughter  of  "Wilson  J.  and 
Nancy  (Miller)  Best.  John  Blank,  Senior, 
was  a  native  of  Germany,  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, and  died  in  1864,  aged  sixty  years. 
Christenia  Blank,  his  wife,  was  also  a  native 
of  Germany,  and  died  in  1847,  aged  about 
fifty-two  years;  they  bad  six  children,  of 
whom  John  was  the  youngest.  Although  he  is 
a  man  not  much  interested  in  politics,  his 
sympathies  are  ^N-ith  the  Republican  party. 

ALONZO  F.  BURNHAM,  physician  and 
surgeon,  Ashland  ;  was  born  in  Mason  Coun- 
ty, 111.  June  29,  1853 ;  son  of  Henry  C. 
and  Angeline  (Currier)  Burnham.  Henry 
C.  Burnham,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was 
born  at  Hampton,  Windham  Co.,  Conn.,  .Ian. 
30,  1826,  and  has,  since  1853,  resided  in  Salt 
Creek  Township,  Mason   Co.,  111.  ;    his  wife 


304 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


was  born  at  Canandaigua,  Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y., 
Dec.  16,  1835  ;  they  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children.  The  doctor  received  his  primary 
education  in  the  country  schools,  and  after- 
ward attended  an  academy,  after  which  he 
taught  school  and  worked  on  the  farm.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-two  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  with  Dr.  J.  P.  Walker,  of  Mason 
City,  111.;  and  attended  the  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege three  winter  terms  and  one  summer 
term,  and  graduated  in  1878.  He  came  to 
Ashland,  April  3,  1878,  and  entered  into 
partnership  with  Dr.  John  Walker ;  they 
practiced  in  company  until  October,  1880, 
when,  on  account  of  ill  health,  Dr.  Walker 
retired  from  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  Dr.  Burnham  has  since  practiced  alone, 
meeting  with  good  success.  He  was  married 
Oct.  29,  1879,  in  Mason  Co.,  111.,  to  Emma 
Blunt,  a  native  of  that  county,  born  .Jan.  3, 
1859,  daughter  of  A.  A.  and  Martha  A.  (Trail- 
er) Blunt ;  he  was  born  in  Hart  Co.,  Ky., 
Feb.  21,  1831  ;  she  was  born  in  Springfield, 
111.,  June  23, 1831 ;  from  this  union  they  have 
had  one  child,  P.  Garfield,  born  April  4, 
1881,  died  Aug.  2,  1881.  The  doctor  is  a 
Republican  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F., 
the  K.  of  H.  and  the  A.  O.  F. 

JOHN  BEGGS,  farmer  and  stock-dealer; 
P.  O.  Ashland;  was  born  in  Morgan  County, 
Illinois,  Aug.  7,  1831.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  began  farming  in  Morgan  County,  where 
he  remained  until  1858,  when  he  removed  to 
his  present  place  of  residence,  where  he  has 
since  remained,  engaged  more  or  less  exten- 
sively in  farming  and  in  stock-dealing.  His 
large  and  commodious  farm  residence  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  the  county.  He  has  been 
identified  with  the  Republican  party  since 
the  days  of  the  old  line  Whigs.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Cass  County,  Dec.  18, 1855,  to  Miss  Sai- 
lie  Sinclair,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Malinda 
(Bird)  Sinclair,  natives  of  Kentucky,  both  de- 
ceased.    Mrs.   Beggs  was    born    in    Morgan 


County,  March  16,  1834.  She  is  the  mother 
of  seven  children,  viz.:  Emma,  wife  of  Ed- 
ward C.  Beggs,  of  Ashland;  Anna,  Charles 
S.,  John  T.,  Nellie,  Myra  and  Samuel 
W.  Charles  Beggs,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Rockingham  County,  Va., 
Oct.  30,  1775;  he  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, and  was  a  noted  politician  at  an  early 
day,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  that  framed  the  constitution  of 
Indiana;  he  served  several  terms  in  the  Leg- 
islature of  Indiana,  and  was  captain  of  cavalry 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  in  the  engage- 
ment at  Tippecanoe;  his  death  occurred  Oct. 
21,  1869.  His  wife,  Mary  Ruddell,  a  native 
of  Hardy  Co.,  Va.,  was  born  April  28,  1790, 
and  died  Aug.  •!,  1871.  She  was  the  mother 
of  nine  children,  of  whom  John,  the  subject 
of  the  sketch  was  the  youngest.  Religiously, 
himself  and  wife  are  connected  with  the 
Methodist  Church. 

JOSEPH  BOWERS,  farmer,  P.  O.  Ashland, 
was  born  in  Derbyshire,  England,  Nov. 
26,  1816.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  the 
cotton  factories  of  England,  and  when  twen- 
eight-years  of  age  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, and  located  at  Philadelphia;  in  1849  he 
moved  to  Cass  County,  Illinois,  and  took  upon 
himself  the  duties  of  farm  life;  in  1858  he 
purchased  a  quarter  section  of  wild  prairie, 
upon  which  he  now  resides.  He  was  married 
in  Cass  County,  July  19,  1846.  His  wife, 
Hannah  Gill,  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England, 
March  6,  1817;  she  has  borne  him  seven 
children:  Richard,  a  prominent  young  farmer, 
living  near  the  homestead;  James,  in  Denver, 
Colorado,  speculating  in  mines;  Mary  A., 
wife  of  Wat  Sinclair;  Thomas,  farmer,  single, 
living  at  home;  Jennie,  wife  of  John  Sinclair, 
living  near  home;  William,  a  graduate  of  the 
Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville,  a  teacher  by 
profession;  Joseph,  at  home.  Mrs.  Bowers 
was  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Betty  (Hinch- 
cliff,)   Gill,    native      of    England,    deceased. 


ASHLAND  PRECINCT. 


305 


Joseph  Bowers,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  a  native  of  England,  a  me- 
chanic by  occupation;  born  March  4,  1790; 
died  April  8,  1854.  Betty  Howe,  his  wife, 
■was  also  a  native  of  England;  born  August 
1,  179o;  died  December  29,  185G;  they 
were  the  parents  of  fifteen  children,  of  whom 
only  four  are  now  living,  and  of  whom  Joseph 
is  the  third  child.  Mrs.  Bowers  is  a  Metho- 
dist, and  Mr.  Bowers  has  always  been  identi- 
fied with  the  Republican  party. 

JOHN  L.  DOUGLASS,  retired  blacksmith, 
Ashland;  was  born  at  Midison,  Jefferson  Co., 
Ind.,  June  3,  1823;  son  of  Asahel  and  Jane 
(Kikindall)  Douglass.  Asahel,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  was  born  May  19, 1791,  and  died 
Jan.  21,  1880;  his  wife,  born  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, Nov.  6,  1802,  died  Nov.  28,  1879;  they 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children;  John 
L.,  when  two  years  of  age,  went  with  his 
parents  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  thence  to  Metcalfe 
Co-,  that  State,  where  his  youth  was  spent  in 
assisting  his  father  in  his  mercantile  and 
trading  interests.  When  about  twenty  years 
of  age  he  began  blacksmithing  with  his  father, 
and  after  having  learned  the  trad(!,  came,  in 
1857,  to  Virginia,  this  county,  and  the  fol- 
lowing j'ear  removed  to  Ashland,  and  pur- 
chased a  shop  which  had  been  in  operation 
but  a  few  months.  Here  he  continued  in 
business  until  1881.  He  served  as  magistrate 
one  year,  and  is  now  performing  the  duties  of 
that  office,  having  been  re-elected  in  the  fall 
of  1881.  During  the  late  war,  he  entered  the 
service  in  Co.  I,  1st  I.  V.  I.,  under  Capt.  Jesse 
F.  Newman,  the  regiment  being  commanded 
by  Col.  Charles  Fox,  and  remained  in  service 
three  years.  In  Adair  Co.,  Ky.,  April  27, 
1847,  he  married  America  E.  Yates,  born  in 
Kentucky,  May  31,  1831,  daughter  of  Mel- 
ford  and  Catherine  (Creels)  Yates,  natives  of 
Adair  Co.,  that  State.  From  this  union  twelve 
children  have  been  born,  viz.:  Melford  A., 
John  W.  O.,  Jane  C,  Onin  A.  (died  July  12, 


1858;  was  the  first  person  who  died  in  Ash- 
land), Louan,  Rebecca  C,  Luthor  H.,  Maud 
L  ,  Maria  O.,  Mary  E.,  George  T.,  and  Reu- 
ben C.  M".  Douglass  and  wife  are  connected 
with  the  Methodist  church;  he  has  been  an 
active  member  of  the  L  O.  O.  F.,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years;  was  one  of  the  charter  members 
of  Oak  Lodge  No.  341,  at  Ashland.  He  was 
originally  an  old  line  Whig,  and  is  now  a 
Republican. 

WILLIAM  S.  DOUGLASS,  retired  car- 
penter, Ashland;  was  born  in  Lexington,, 
Ky.,  July  1,  1827.  He  received  an  ordi- 
nary education,  and  at  the  age  of  22,  left 
home  and  engaged  in  farming  for  about 
nine  years;  then  learned  the  carpenter 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  till  18G2,  build- 
ing some  of  the  first  houses  erected  in  Ash- 
land, and  assisting  in  the  erection  of  the  princi- 
pal business  blocks  of  the  town.  In  Jackson- 
ville, 111.,  Feb.  20,  1855,  he  married  Mary 
Virginia  Job,  born  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  Dec. 
14, 1830,  who  has  borne  him  four  children,  viz.: 
Charles  F.,  Grace,  Helen  and  Willie  T.  Dur- 
ing the  late  war,  Mr.  Douglass  enlisted  in 
Co.  D,  114th  111.  V.  I.,  under  Capt.  Berry,  the 
regiment  being  in  command  of  Col.  Judy,  and 
served  three  years,  and  during  that  time  par- 
ticipated in  fourteen  battles.  Mr.  Douglass 
retired  from  active  life  some  time  since,  has 
been  a  member  of  the  town  board  of  Ash- 
land, and  school  director  for  twelve  years;  he 
is  a  Republican,  and  was  formerly  a  member 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

ALONZO  S.  FAY,  Lawyer,  Ashland,  was 
born  in  Virginia,  in  October,  1853;  son  of 
Perry  and  Ellen  (Rasenberger)  Fay.  Perry 
Fay,  subject's  fatlier,  was  born  in  New  York 
in  1814,  came  to  Illinois  in  1848,  and  taught 
school  till  1854,  when  he  started  West,  and  has 
not  since  been  heard  of;  his  wife,  born  in  the 
State  of  Virginia,  in  1820,  died  at  Princeton, 
111.,  in  1858,  leaving  tvvo  children,  viz.:  Alon/o 
S.  and  Luela  (died  in  July,  1881.)     Subject 


306 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


followed  farming  for  a  tiiiio;  then  entered  the 
Asbury  Institute  of  Indiana,  where  after  pur- 
suing his  studies  in  the  classical  course  for  six 
years,  he  graduated  in  June,  1879.  He  then 
entered  the  law  office  of  Epler  &  Gallon,  in 
Jacksonville;  and,  after  reading  law  there  two 
years,  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  at  Springfield, 
111.,  in  November,  1881;  then  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Hon.  J.  M.  Epler,  and  located  at 
Ashland,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  a 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

WATSON  W.  GAILEY,  Physician,  Ash- 
land, was  born  near  Newcastle,  Pa.,  July  19, 
1843,  of  Scotch  parentage,  and  claims  an  an- 
cestry running  back  to  the  House  of  Stuart; 
the  grand  maternal  uncle  of  his  mother, 
Elizabeth  Stuart  Macready,  being  none  other 
than  Charles  Stuart,  the  Pretender;  his 
father  John  Gailey,  is  a  descendant  of  one 
of  those  gallant  Highlanders  who  were 
banished  from  their  native  land,  and  took 
refuge  in  the  North  of  Ireland.  Our  subject, 
after  obtaining  an  ordinary  education,  at- 
tended medical  lectures  in  Philadelphia.  In 
1862  he  entered  the  medical  service  of  the 
United  States,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in 
front  of  Richmond.  After  the  close  of  the 
war,  the  Doctor  traveled  to  some  extent,  but 
finally  located  in  Morgan  Co.,  111.,  at  the  little 
village  of  Prentice,  which  has  so  decreased 
since  the  rise  of  Ashland,  that  it  is  almost 
obliterated.  He  has  a  fine  practice.  April 
13,  1865,  he  married  Miss  Luella  E.  Carson, 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  Carson,  who 
bore  him  two  children,  Ernest  C,  and  Louis, 
both  of  whom  are  dead.  Mrs.  Watson  also 
died  July  19,  1868.  In  January,  1873,  he 
married  Miss  Lizzie  M.  Sinclair,  daughter  of 
Samuel  Sinclair  (Virginia  Sam).  Four  boys 
have  blessed  this  last  marriage:  Byron,  Dar- 
win Spencer,  Eugene  Paul  and  Marsh  Draper, 
the  last  named  being  now  dead.  In  1877  the 
Doctor   built   a    fine    residence   at   Ashland, 


where  he  resides.  He  has  a  very  extensive 
practice,  and  always  keeps  fully  up  to  the 
front  in  advanced  medical  and  surgical  prac- 
tice. He  is  a  republican  in  politics  and 
religion,  meaning  by  the  latter  that  he  ac- 
knowledges the  good  in  all  churches. 

LEWIS  C.  HEWITT,  Farmer,  P.  O. 
Ashland,  was  born  at  Cape  Newtown,  New 
Jersey,  May  22, 1849.  At  the  age  of  37  years 
he  left  home  and  began  working  as  a  farmer, 
locating  in  Cass  Co.,  111.,  where  he  has  since 
remained,  engaged  more  or  less  extensively 
in  farming.  In  1877  he  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent place  of  residence,  located  three  miles 
west  of  Ashland.  His  farm  consists  of  400 
acres  of  choice  rolling  land,  all  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  deals,  to  quite  an  ex- 
tent, in  stock  of  all  kinds.  He  was  married  at 
Virginia,  Cass  Co.,  January  4,  1876,  to  Miss 
Alice  Long,  who  was  born  in  Cass  Co.,  Oct. 
35,  1858.  She  is  the  mother  of  three  child- 
ren, viz.,  Jessie,  Allie,  and  Lewis.  Mrs. 
Hewitt  was  a  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Maria 
(Grisby)  Long,  both  deceased.  Thomas  Hew- 
itt, the  father  of  Lewis,  who  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Menard  Co.,  and  still  follows  the  occupation 
of  a  farmer;  he  was  born  in  1833.  His  wife, 
Abigail  Hand,  also  a  native  of  New  Jer- 
sey, died  in,  or  about,  1858,  aged  about  thirty- 
four  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Lewis  was  the  eldest.  Po- 
litically, he  has  always  been  identified  with 
the  Democratic  party. 

SAMUEL  L.  HAMILTON,  grain  dealer, 
Ashland,  a  son  of  Charles  B.  and  Sarah  Claphan 
(Lucket)  Hamilton,  was  born  in  Loudoun 
County,  Va.,  Dec.  17,  1835.  Charles  B.  Ham- 
ilton, subject's  father,  a  native  of  Virginia,  a 
farmer  and  merchant,  died  in  1864,  asred  56 
years;  his  wife,  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  is  still 
living,  and  is  about  73  years  of  age;  of  their 
nine  children  our  subject  is  the  third.  Samuel 
L.,  in  1870  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 


ASHLAND  PRECINCT. 


307 


in  Mason  County,  111.,  and  after  remaining 
there  three  years,  removed  his  business  to 
Ashland,  his  family  accompanying  him.  In 
1880,  he  sold  out  the  mercantile  business,  and 
gave  his  attention  to  the  grain  and  stock  trade, 
but  at  present  is  engaged  in  grain  dealing 
only.  In  May,  1870,  he  married  Eleanor, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Sinclair;  she  was  born 
January  23, 1830,  and  died  December  1, 1881, 
leaving  five  children,  viz.:  Charles  S.,  Maud, 
Samuel  S.,  Lloyd  L.  and  Sarah  E.  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton served  three  years  and  three  months  in 
the  late  war;  he  enlisted  in  Co.  "F,"  19th 
III.  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Capt.  AUerd, 
Col.  Scott  commanding  the  regiment.  During 
his  army  service  he  received  an  injury  which 
laid  him  up  for  nearly  two  years.  He  is  a 
Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
WILLIAM  M.  JONES  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Indiana,  County  of  Tippecanoe,  on 
July  31,  1826,  and  came  within  four  miles  of 
where  Ashland  now  is,  in  the  spring  of  1847; 
has  seen,  where  Ashland  now  stands,  growing 
in  wild  prairie  grass,  and  has  seen  it  also  in 
a  farm,  growing  grain,  and  now  sees  it  in  a 
beautiful  little  town.  Commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  1857,  tvas  admitted  to  the  bar 
as  an  attorney  to  practice  law  by  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State,  on  October  20, 1871;  came 
to  the  village  of  Ashland  in  the  spring  of 
1870.  Never  studied  law  in  attorney's  office, 
except  his  own.  Never  was  in  college  a  day 
in  his  life;  came  here  as  soon  as  he  was  dis- 
charged from  the  Mexican  war  at  Newport 
Barracks,  Kentucky,  and  was  mustered  out  at 
New  Orleans.  He  also  served  in  the  late  war 
for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion.  He  was  a 
private  in  Co.  D,  26th  111.  Infantry,  and  was 
mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and 
discharged  at  Springfield,  Illinois.  He  was 
wounded  in  Mexico,  and  carried  the  bullet  for 
thirty-six  years,  and  then  had  it  taken  out, 
and  yet  he  has  received  no  pension,  for  he  has 
never  asked  Uncle  Sam  for  any  help. 


THOMAS  B.  LaTOUCHE,  merchant,  Ash- 
land, was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Sept.  8, 1852. 
At  an  early  age  he  was  employed  in  assisting 
his  father  in  the  mercantile  business,  and 
afterward  clerked  in  Mason  County.  In  1875 
he  went  to  Ashland,  and  clerked  for  S.  L. 
Hamilton  until  the  fall  of  1880,  when  he  pur- 
chased the  business  from  Mr.  Hamilton,  where 
he  has  continued  since.  His  trade,  already 
large,  has  steadily  increased,  until  now  he  has 
the  satisfaction  of  conducting  one  of  tho 
largest  business  interests  at  Ashland.  He 
was  married  in  Mason  County,  May  30,  1875, 
to  Miss  Capitola  Dongler,  who  was  born  in 
Bath,  Mason  County,  June  17,  1859.  She  is 
the  mother  of  three  children,  viz.:  Arthur, 
Myrtle,  and  an  infant.  Mrs.  LaTouche  was  a 
daughter  of  George  and  Catharine  Dengler, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  still  living.  The 
father  of  our  subject,  John  LaTouche,  was 
born  in  Canada,  was  a  merchant,  and  died  in 
the  army  in  1801,  aged  about  35  years.  His 
wife,  Eraila  McClintock,  was  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  and  is  still  living,  aged  about  40 
years,  wife  of  Bernard  Donlin.  By  her  first 
husband  she  gave  birth  to  three  children,  of 
whom  Thomas  was  the  eldest  child.  He  has 
held  the  offices  in  the  village  of  Ashland,  of 
Clerk,  Treasurer,  and  President  of  the  town 
board.  Politically  he  is  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party. 

FRANK  LOHMANN,  farmer  and  brick- 
maker,  P.  O.  Ashland,  was  born  Dec.  3, 1834, 
in  Germany,  of  which  country  his  parents, 
Frank  and  Elizabeth  (Burns)  Lt)hmann  were 
natives.  Mr.  Lohmann,  Sr.,  our  subject's 
father,  died  of  cholera,  Nov.  1,  1850,  aged 
about  62  years;  his  wife  died  in  1SG5,  aged 
also  about  62  years.  Frank,  the  youngest  of 
a  family  of  five  children,  received  an  aca- 
demic education  in  his  native  land,  and  assist- 
ed his  fjither  in  the  coal  and  salt  business,  and 
in  running  a  boat.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he 
began  learning  the  bakery  and  brewing  trade, 


308 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  in  May,  1855,  came  to  America  and 
located  at  Wheeling,  W.  Va;  in  March, 
1875,  came  to  Ashland,  and  in  1876,  started 
a  brickyard,  where  he  still  carries  on  the 
brick- making  business,  and  in  addition  is  also 
ensasred  in  farming.  Ho  had  the  misfortune 
to  be  burnt  out  once,  with  a  loss  of  $3,500, 
but  has  since  erected  several  brick  blocks  at 
Ashland,  and  has  done  much  to  make  the 
town  what  it  is.  At  Dixon,  Lee  Co.,  Ills.,  he 
married  Dina  Pahl,  a  native  of  Germany,  born 
May  27, 1836;  died  in  1869.  His  second  wife, 
whom  he  married  June  26,  1876,  is  Artilicia 
D.  Clark,  a  native  of  Menard  Co.,  111.,  born  in 
1844.  He  has  five  children,  viz.:  Joseph  B., 
Frank,  Lewis,  Sophia  and  Bertie.  Mr.  Loh- 
mann  is  a  member  of  the  Town  Board,  and  of 
the  County  Central  Democratic  Committee; 
while  at  Beardstown  he  held  the  office  of 
Supervisor.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  Knights  of 
Honor. 

GEORGE  M.  LEITCH,  painter,  Ashland; 
was  born  in  Lenawa  County,  Mich.,  July  11, 
1853.  At  14  years  he  engaged  to  learn  the 
trade  of  coach  painter,  at  which  he  worked  in 
various  places  many  years.  Went  to  New 
Orleans,  and  was  one  of  the  force  that  frescoed 
the  St.  Charles  Opera  House.  Upon  his  re- 
turn from  the  South  he  took  a  trip  through 
Canada,  frescoing  churches,  etc.  Returning 
to  the  States,  he  eventually  settled  in  Ashland, 
this  county,  where  he  has  since  remained,  en- 
gaged in  painting,  graining  and  frescoing. 
He  was  married  in  Ashland  July  24,  1877,  to 
Miss  Louisa  A.  Douglass,  who  was  born  to 
John  L.  and  Ellen  (Yates)  Douglass,  in  18G0. 
She  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  viz.:  John 
W.,  born  Oct.  10,  1881;  Estella,  Nov. 
22,  1879.  William  M.  Leitch,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Huron  County,  Ohio, 
in  1816,  a  retired  contractor  and  builder,  liv- 
ing at  Blissfield,  Michigan.  His  wife,  Emily 
S.  Randall,  born   near  Biddeford,   Maine,  in 


about  1821,  died  Oct.  10,  1881.  She  was 
the  mother  of  five  children,  of  whom  George, 
our  subject  was  the  third  child.  He  has  al- 
ways taken  more  or  less  interest  in  the  politi- 
cal issues  of  the  times,  and  his  sympathies  are 
with  the  Democratic  party.  His  father  and 
one  brother  were  in  Company  C,  Fourth 
Michigan  Cavalry,  and  one  brother,  Captain 
of  Company  K,  Eleventh  Infantry. 

ALFRED  E.  MICK  was  born  in  Tippe- 
canoe County,  Ind.,  Dec.  22,  1837  His 
father,  Daniel  Mick,  was  born  in  Ross  County, 
Ohio,  and  his  mother  in  North  Carolina.  In 
an  early  day  they  left  their  native  States,  and 
located  in  Indiana,  where  they  were  married 
in  the  year  1836,  locating  on  a  farm  in  Tippe- 
canoe County.  His  mother  died  in  April, 
1851,  and  his  father  in  September,  1872. 
Th  -y  had  nine  children,  five  boys  and  four 
girls.  After  a  preparatory  course  of  study  at 
Shawnee  Academy,  he  entered  Wabash  Col- 
lege at  Crawfordsville,  Indiana,  and  two  years 
later  attended  Asbury  University  at  Green- 
castle,  Indiana.  In  1859  he  left  his  native 
State,  and  located  in  Petersburg,  Menard 
County,  111.,  and  was  elected  county  surveyor 
in  1864,  and  filled  the  position  until  1869. 
During:  President  Johnson's  administration  he 
was  appointed  postmaster  at  Petersburg. 
Mr.  Mick  was  elected  county  clerk  in  Novem- 
ber, 1869.  During  this  time  he  was  licensed 
to  practice  law  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State,  following  that  profession  until  1877, 
when  he  purchased  the  Petersburg  Democrat. 
In  1881  he  published  the  Petersburg  Me- 
P'ublican,  continuing  until  January,  1882. 
In  March  of  this  year  he  established  the 
Sentinel,  which  he  is  now  publishing  at  Ash- 
land, Illinois.  On  April  15,  1865,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  E.,  the  daughter  of  Milo  and 
Elizabeth  A.  Wood  ;  she  was  born  in  Morgan 
County,  111.,  April  29,  1833.  Milo  Wood  was 
a  native  of  North  Carolina,  born  May  23, 
1795,   and  Elizabeth  A.  Wood   was  born  in 


ASHLAND  PRECINCT. 


Tennessee  Jan.  11,  1797;  they  emigrated  to 
Illinois  in  the  year  18:20.  Mollie  O.,  Leslie 
P.  and  Claude  W.,  constitute  the  children  of 
Mr.  Mick's  family,  now  living.  He  was 
raised  under  the  influence  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  but  as  yet  has  not  become  identified 
with  any  religious  denomination.  Mary  E., 
his  wife,  has  been  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  for  more  than  thirty  years. 
In  his  political  convictions  Mr.  Mick  has  al- 
ways been  identified  with  the  Democratic 
party.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  of  fifteen  years 
standing,  and  was  one  of  the  charter  members 
that  assisted  in  establishing  Charity  Encamp- 
ment at  Petersburg,  Illinois,  about  ten  years 
ago. 

NELSON  A.  NEWMAN,  grocer,  Ashland  ; 
was  born  near  Meredosia,  Morgan  Co.,  111., 
July  30,  1848.  In  addition  to  the  common 
schools,  he  attended  for  a  short  time  the  Illinois 
College  at  Jacksonville,  and  Wabash  College 
at  Crawfordsville,  Indiana.  In  1871  he  be- 
gan dealing  in  stock  in  St.  Louis;  is  now  en- 
gaged in  keeping  a  first-class  grocery.  He 
was  married  at  St.  Louis,  June  23,  1880,  to 
Miss  Louisa  J.  Rogerson,  who  has  borne  one 
child,  Mildred,  born  May  15,  1881.  Mrs. 
Newman  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Rogerson, 
a  native  of  England,  now  living  at  St.  Louis. 
Jesse  T.  Newman,  the  father  of  Nelson,  was 
born  in  Marietta,  Ohio,  in  1824;  followed 
different  occupations,  but  principally  mer- 
chandising. His  death  occurred  July  7, 1881. 
His  wife,  Esther  Jane  Gillham,  was  born  in 
Scott  County,  111.;  she  is  the  mother  of- nine 
children,  of  whom  Nelson  was  the  oldest. 
Politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Republi- 
can party;  his  wife  is  connected  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject served  as  Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  First  111.  Vol.  Inft.,  organ- 
ized at  Jacksonville. 

JOHN  G.  PEARN,  teacher,  Ashland;  was 
born     in    Beardstown,    Cass     County,    Oct. 


3,  1855,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Mutton) 
Pearn,  both  natives  of  England,  he  being  a 
farmer,  and  dead,  she  still  living;  they  had 
five  children.  Our  subject  was  educated  at 
Lincoln  University  and  McKendree  College. 
March  30,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Annie 
Cunningham,  born  in  Lebanon,  Illinois,  in 
1858,  daughter  of  R.  F.  and  Mary  (Risley) 
Cunningham.  Mr.  Pearn  has  been  teaching 
school  six  years.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a 
Republican. 

WILLIAM  W.  REDMAN,  Postmaster, 
Ashland;  was  born  in  Logan  County,  Ky. 
Aug.  16,  1S20,  and  was  brought  to  Morgan 
County,  111.,  when  five  years  of  age.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen  years  he  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa,  where 
he  assisted  his  father  upon  his  farm  until  he 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  at  which 
time  he  began  farming  for  himself,  and  re- 
mained in  Iowa  until  1851,  when  he  went  to 
California,where  he  remained  about  five  years 
engaged  in  mining.  He  then  returned  to 
Jacksonville,  111.,  where  he  remained  three 
years.  In  1860  he  came  to  Ashland  and  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business,  afterward  spend- 
ing three  years  upon  a  farm;  in  1871  he  was 
appointed  deputy  Postmaster,  and  in  18  r4 
was  made  Postmaster,  which  office  he  still 
holds.  He  was  married  Oct.  7,  1845,  to  Miss 
Nancy  J.  Rucker,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
in  1825;  she  is  the  mother  of  five  children:  Ra- 
banus,  Carrie  C,  Lester  L.,  Lua,  and  an  infant 
not  named,  the  two  latter  deceased.  Mrs.  Red- 
man was  a  daughter  of  John  Rucker,  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  deceased.  Solomon  Redman,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
in  1794;  a  farmer  by  occupation;  his  death  oc- 
curred in  1849.  His  wife,  Rebecca  Williams, 
was  also  a  native  of  Kentuck}',  born  in  1800, 
died  in  1870;  she  was  the  mother  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  William  was  the  oldest.  Him 
self  and  wife  are  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 


310 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES. 


REV.  EDWIN  B.  RANDLE,  clergyman, 
Ashland;  was  born  in  Madison  Co.,  111.,  Dec. 
15,  1852,  to  William  S.  and  Sarah  (Hans- 
barger)  Ran  die;  he  was  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents 
■when  a  child;  a  lawyer  by  profession,  but 
conducts  a  farm  also;  now  resides  in  Chris- 
tian County.  His  wife,  Sarah,  is  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  came  to  Illinois  when  she  was 
about  eighteen  years  old;  she  is  still  living,  and 
is  the  mother  of  seven  children,  of  whom  our 
subject  is  the  oldest.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
years,  he  began  teaching,  and  continued  in 
that  occupation  six  years.  In  the  fall  of  1878, 
he  joined  the  Methodist  Conference  at  Jack- 
sonville, having  preached  one  and  a  half  years 
previously.  His  first  pastoral  charge  was  at 
Irving,  Montgomery  County,  where  he  re- 
mained two  and  a  half  years,  and  then  remov- 
ed to  Harristown,  Macon  County,  where  he 
remained  two  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1881, 
came  to  Ashland,  where  he  now  has  charge  of 
the  Ashland  Circuit.  He  was  married  at  Har- 
ristown, 111.,  Aug.  25,  1881,  to  Miss  Mary 
Stookey,  who  was  born  at  Bloomington,  III., 
in  August,  1856,  to  Daniel  and  Caroline 
(Goodner)  Stookey,  natives  of  St.  Clair  Co., 
111.,  and  both  still  living.  Mr.  Randle  has 
been  an  active  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  for 
several  years.  He  acts  as  correspotident  for 
the  Chvistain  Advocate,  the  church  paper  of 
the  denomination  in  whose  interest  he  so  zeal- 
ously works,  and  his  letters  and  contributions 
are  able,  interesting,  and  full  of  the  love  and 
grace  of  the  Master,  in  whose  footsteps  he 
endeavors  to  tread. 

JOHN  L.  REILEY,  station  agent,  Ash- 
land; only  child  of  Alfred  T.  and  Mary  (Lee) 
Reiley,  was  born  in  Howard  County,  Ind., 
Dec.  28,  18G1.  Alfred  T.,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  is  a  farmer,  and  was  born  in  Rush 
County,  Ind.,  in  1829;  his  wife,  a  native  of 
Tipton  County,  Ind.,  died  Dec.  31,  1861,  aged 
twenty-two  years.     John   L.,  after  receiving 


an  ordinary  education  in  Clay  County,  111., 
learned  telegraphy  in  Isola,  Ind.,  and,  when 
a  thoroughly  proficient  operator,  took  charge 
of  the  telegraph  office  at  Farmingdale,  111., 
where  he  remained  thirteen  months,  then  re- 
moved to  Jeffersonville  and  stayed  one  and 
a-half  years,  after  which  he  took  charge  of 
the  station  at  Ashland,  where  he  has  since 
remained.  At  Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  June  29, 
1S80,  he  married  Flora  B.  Caddy,  who  was 
born  in  Allen  County,  Ohio,  in  September, 
1862,  who  has  borne  him  one  child,  Ethel, 
born  Sept.  23,  1881.  Mrs.  Reiley  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  and  Anna  (Straley)  Caddy. 
Mr.  Reiley  owns  a  good  village  property,  con- 
sisting of  a  house  and  two  lots;  himself  and 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church; 
he  is  a  Democrat. 

GEORGE  M.  RANDALL,  clerk,  Ashland; 
was  born  in  Vienna,  Scott  County,  Ind., 
April  21,  1856.  His  father,  George  W.  Ran- 
dall, who  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer, 
was  born  in  New  Albany,  Ind.,  in  1826, 
and  died  June  2,  1S76.  His  mother,  Mary  J. 
Swope,  who  is  still  living,  was  born  in  Spencer 
County,  Ky.,  in  1828;  of  her  nine  children, 
George  M.  is  the  fifth.  He  received  a  good 
education  in  the  High  School  at  Vienna,  Ind., 
and  having  fitted  himself  for  a  teacher,  taught 
school  in  Scott  County,  Ind.,  for  some  time; 
he  afterwards  taught  in  Cass  County  for  six 
years.  He  has  been  engaged  in  his  present 
business,  clerking,  in  the  employ  of  T.  La 
Touche,  for  about  three  months.  In  Scott 
'County,  Ind.,  July  15,  1876,  he  married  Jem- 
ima Whitson,  a  native  of  that  county;  born 
November  28,  1854,  daughter  of  Lorenzo  D. 
and  Jemima  (Collins)  Wliitson,  both  natives 
of  Clark  County,  Ind.,  he,  still  living;  she 
dead.  From  this  union  three  children  have 
been  born,  viz.:  Linneaus,  Olvia  and  Nor- 
man.    Mr.  Randall  is  a  Republican. 

SAMUEL  SINCLAIR,  deceased,  son  of 
•John  and  Rachael  Sinclair,  was  born  in  Ten- 


ASHLAND  PRECINCT. 


311 


nessee,  July  17,  1808.  After  a  residence  of 
a  few  years  in  Kentucky,  the  family  moved  to 
Illinois,  and  finally  settled  on  a  farm  some 
eight  miles  northeast  of  the  city  of  Jackson- 
ville, in  a  settlement  yet  known  under  the 
name  of  Hebron,  where  they  located  in  1835. 
Here  the  heads  of  the  family  died,  the  mother 
in  1844,  and  the  father  in  1850.  They  were 
both  consistent  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 
When  about  23  years  old,  he  married  Miss 
Melinda  Bird,  by  whom  he  had  one  daughter, 
Mrs.  Sally  (John)  Beggs.  This  wife  died  in 
1837.  Oct.  22, 1845,  Mr.  Sinclair  was  married 
to  Mrs.  Myra  A.  Williams,  relict  of  Page  A. 
Williams,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Rucker.  Of  this  union  there  were  born 
four  children:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Warner)  Cow- 
ell,  of  Vernon  Co.,  Mo.  ;  Samuel  W. ;  Mrs. 
Mary  T.  (Leni)  Leatherton,  and  William  O. 
Mrs.  Sinclair  raised  three  children  by  her  first 
husband,  viz.:  John,  Ellen  and  Newton.  Mrs. 
Sinclair's  parents  were  natives  of  Virginia. 
Mr.  Sinclair,  immediately  after  his  second  mar- 
riage, moved  to  Apple  Hill,  Cass  County, 
where  he  remainedabout  eight  years,  when  ho 
sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Panther  Grove, 
Cass  Co.,  where  he  bought  800  acres  of 
very  fine  land.  He  died  May  S,  1868.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  He  had 
the  reputation  of  being  a  good  citizen — honest, 
upright,  temperate,  and  patriotic,  and  a  kind, 
indulgent,  affectionate  husband  and  father. 
He  made  a  specialty  of  fine  cattle  and  hogs. 
The  Sinclair  family  are  of  Scotch  descent. 
Mrs.  Sinclair  is  a  native  of  Kentucky.  She  is 
a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  She  had 
seven  brothers  and  sisters,  raised  to  maturity, 
viz. :  Presley,  Eliza,  Sedonia,  Elizabeth,  Sarah, 
Greenberry,  and  Nancy.  The  homestead 
farm  is  now  managed  by  William  O.,  who  was 
born  June  19, 1855.  His  education  was  com- 
pleted in  a  high  school,  since  which  time  he 
has  been  engaged  in  general  agricultural  busi- 
ness, and  handling  a  large  amount  of  stock. 


He  was  married  in  Sangamon  County,  March 
16,  1866,  to  Miss  Eva  Tonilin,  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Myra  (Rucker)  Tomlin,  born 
July  20,  1855.  They  have  one  boy,  Carl, 
born  Jan.  31,  1877.  Mrs.  Sinclair  is  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Sinclair  is  a  strong  Republican. 

SAMUEL  SINCLAIR,  farmer,  P.  O.  Ash- 
land; is  a  native  of  Loudoun  County,  Va.,  son 
of  George  Sinclair,  a  man  of  remarkable  pru- 
dence and  judgment,  who  brought  up  his 
family  with  great  care.  Our  subject  came  to 
Morgan  County  June  8,  1-33,  an  anniversary 
of  his  birth,  and  entered  280  acres  of  land 
with  a  portion  of  $400,  that  he  brought  with 
him,  afterward  adding  40  acres  more,  making 
just  one-half  of  a  section.  This  land  lies 
eight  miles  north-east  of  Jacksonville,  near  the 
little  village  of  Sinclair,  named  in  honor  of 
our  subject.  After  securing  the  land,  he  re- 
turned'to  Virginia,  Loudoun  County,  and 
Oct.  28,  1834,  married  Miss  Euphemia 
Craven,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Elizabeth 
(Shepherd)  Craven,  from  which  union  there 
were  born  nine  children:  George,  Ellen,  Peter 
Akers,  Virginia,  Henry  Clay,  May  and  James, 
twins,  Ruth  and  John.  Mrs.  Sinclair  died 
April  23,  1861;  she  had  been  for  many  years 
a  devout  member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  a  lady  of  many  lovable  qualities.  October 
21,  1863,  Mr.  Sinclair  married  Miss  Dolly 
Beggs,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Rudale) 
Beggs;  and  two  children  have  blessed  this 
second  marriage:  Emma  Lou,  and  Maggie. 
The  Sinclairs  are  of  Scotch  lineage,  and  trace 
their  ancestry  back  to  the  famous  Clan-Sin- 
clair, confreres  of  the  Douglass  and  other 
noted  Highlanders.  George  died  1850.  Mr. 
Sinclair  is  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  has 
been  a  strong  Union  man,  having  given  three 
sons  to  the  cause  during  the  late  war.  He 
owns  887  acres  of  splendid  land,  which  is  un- 
der a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  contains  all 
the  modern  improvements  in  farm  a]iplianccs. 


312 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


WILLIAM  SYBRANT,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Ashland;  was  born  Jan.  11,  1833,  in  Wash- 
ington County,  N.  Y.,  of  which  county 
his  parents,  Samuel  and  Lydia  (Robinson) 
Sybrant,  were  natives.  Samuel,  who  followed 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  died  in  1859, 
aged  seventy  years;  his  wife  is  also  deceased; 
they  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  our 
subject  being  the  fifth.  William,  on  attain- 
ing his  majority,  hired  out  as  a  farm  hand, 
and,  after  having  made  some  money,  bought 
his  first  property  in  Crawford  County,  Pa. 
He  came  to  this  county  in  1865,  where  he 
has  since  been  enofaffed  in  farming:;  he  owns 
130  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  raises  the  usual 
grain  crops.  In  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  in 
September,  1844,  he  married  Sally  Bassett,  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  born  June  25,  1823, 
daughter  of  Rufus  and  Mrs.  (Colfax)  Bassett, 
natives  of  Rhode  Island  (both  deceased)  and 
from  this  union  one  child  has  been  born,  viz.: 
Parmelia,  wife  of  Joseph  D.  Turner.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sybrant  are  , members  of  the  Christian 
Church;  he  is  a  Democrat. 

JOSEPH  D.  TURNER,  farmer,  Ashland; 
was  born  in  England,  Nov.  16,  1836;  eldest 
child  of  a  family  of  seven,  of  whom  four 
are  now  living,  born  to  John  and  Juliet 
(Dale)  Turner,  natives  of  England,  and  both 


still  living;  he,  a  farmer,  and  also  a  mechanic, 
born  in  August,  1810,  now  residing  in  Henry 
County,  Ills.;  she,  born  in  1811.  Joseph  D., 
came  to  America  with  his  parents,  when  he 
was  but  two  years  of  age;  attended  school  in 
Scott  County,  Ills.,  and  came  to  Cass  County, 
in  1856,  where  he  has  since  resided,  with  the 
exception  of  the  time  he  served  in  the  army. 
At  the  age  of  20  years  he  began  learning  the 
blacksmith  trade,  at  which  he  worked  twelve 
years.  In  this  county,  October  1,  1865,  he 
married  Pamelia  Sybrant,  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, Aug.  5,  1845,  daughter  of  William 
and  Sarah  (Bassett)  Syl)rant,  both  still  living; 
he,  a  native  or  New.York;  she,  of  Vermont; 
from  this  union  two  children  have  been  born, 
viz.:  Ella  Louisa  and  Mary  Juliet.  Mr.  Tur- 
ner, during  the  late  war,  enlisted  in  Co.  K., 
33J  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Capt. 
C.  E.  Lippincott,  the  regiment  being  com- 
manded by  Col.  Havey,  and  remained  in  ser- 
vice three  years  and  two  months.  After  leav- 
ing the  army  he  engaged  in  farming,  which 
occupation  he  has  since  pursued.  He  owns 
156  acres  of  land  on  which  he  raises  consider- 
able stock,  as  well  as  the  usua!  crops.  Mr. 
Turner  is  an  adherent  of  the  Republican 
party.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Church. 


ARENZVILLE  PRECINCT. 


ni3 


ARENZVILLE    PRECINCT. 


"WILLIAM  F.  ARENZ,  druggist,  Arenz- 
ville;  was  born  in  Arenzville,  Jan.  3,  1860; 
son  of  Peter  and  Mary  L.  (Baerholdt)  Areuz; 
parents  of  two  children ;  he,  deceased ;  she,  still 
living.  (A  full  sketch  of  Peter  Arenz,  subject's 
father,  will  be  found  in  the  historical  portion  of 
this  work.)  The  subject  of  this  sketch  re- 
ceived his  primary  education  in  Arenzville, 
afterward  finishing  at  Jacksonville,  III.,  and 
engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  Arenzville, 
where  he  has  since  followed  that  business. 
He  is  a  Democrat. 

PETER  ARENZ,  harness  maker,Arenzville; 
was  born  in  Arenzville,  Oct.  5,  180^,  and  is  a 
brother  of  William  Arenz,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears elsewhere  in  this  work.  His  education 
was  received  chiefly  in  Arenzville;  he  also  at- 
tended the  Jacksonville  Business  College  for 
some  time.  He  began  learning  the  harness 
maker's  trade  in  Arenzville  with  Edward  Heinz 
and  has  since  followed  that  occupation  there. 

E.  E.  BEARD,  farmer,  P.  O.,  -Arenzville; 
was  born  in  Augusta  County,  Va.,  Sept.  5, 
1848,  and  is  a  son  of  John  C.  and  Mary  A. 
(Bates)  Beard,  natives  of  Virginia.  John  C. 
Beard,  who  was  a  farmer,  died  in  March,  1881; 
his  wife  is  still  living;  they  had  thirteen  chil- 
dren. The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his 
education  in  this  precinct,  where  he  began 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  where  he  has  since  pur- 
sued that  occupation.  He  married,  in  this 
county,  Oct.  7,  18^5,  Julia  Berry,  a  native  of 
Jersey  County,  111.,  and  daugliter  of  David 
and  Hannah  Berry.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beard  are 
the  parents  of  three  children:  Clarence  A., 
Grace,  and  John  E.  Mr.  Beard  is  a  member 
of  Arenzville  Lodge  No.  481,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  in 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  His  father  came  to 
this  county  twenty-seven  years  ago. 


THE  CRUiM  FAMILY.— James  Ceum, 
farmer,  Arenzville  Precinct.  The  father  of 
our  subject  was  Matthias  Crura,  a  native  of 
Virginia,  and  was  born  July  10,  1774.  He 
lived  in  the  old  dominion  State  until  matun; 
in  years,  and  then  emigrated  to  Kentucky. 
While  in  this  State,  he  taught  school,  and 
there  married  Miss  Margaret  Spangler,  a  na- 
tive of  Louisville;  born  Nov.  18,1779.  Her 
father,  Daniel,  was  an  early  comer  to  that 
portion  of  the  State,  and  was  killed  by  the 
Indians,  while  attending  to  stock  on  his  larin. 
Matthias  Crura  came  from  Kentucky  to  Mor- 
gan County,  in  1833,  and  brought  with  him 
his  wife  and  family  of  six  children.  He  lo- 
cated in  Morgan  County,  and  there  resided 
until  his  death,  March  8,  1841,  being  then 
sixty-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived 
him,  and  died  April  34,  1853.  His  father  al- 
so, Matthias  Crum,  was  a  native  born  Ger- 
man, a  stone  mason  by  trade.  He  crossed 
the  ocean  three  times  in  his  life;  was  a 
thorough  workman,  as  many  of  the  old  stone 
chimneys  erected  by  him  in  the  old  Domin- 
ion State,  for  the  F.  F.  V's,  are  still  standing, 
as  a  monument  to  his  skill.  James  Crura, 
our  subject,  and  his  oldest  brother.  Christian, 
made  their  first  visits  to  Cass  County  in  the 
year  1830;  another  brother,  David,  also  came 
with  them,  but  he  pushed  on  to  Missouri,  and 
there  died.  James  and  Christian  located  330 
acres  of  land  in  Section  thirty-five,  township 
seventeen,  range  eleven.  This  they  owned 
and  improved  in  common.  Upon  this  tract 
they  built  a  small  log  cabin,  and  occupied  it 
until  they  were  both  married,  and  their  in- 
terests became  divided.  James  married  .Ian. 
31,  1833,  to  Miss  Christiana  Ream,  daughter 
of  John  Roam,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 


314 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


came  to  Ohio,  thence  to  Illinois  in  1830.  He 
lived  with  his  brother  until  he  had  completed 
his  first  log  cabin  in  1834,  which  he  first  oc- 
cupied the  winter  of  1834-35.  Mr.  Crum 
was  born  Sept.  33,  1806.  He  commenced 
farming  in  an  humble  way  on  eighty  acres  of 
land.  To  this  he  steadily  added,  until  he 
had  at  one  time  several  hundred  acres.  Of 
this  he  has  sold  but  little,  but  has  settled  it 
upon  his  sons  and  daughters,  and  now  owns 
about  800  acres,  which  comprises  the  home- 
stead. Mrs.  Crum  died  May  1,  1878.  Their 
children,  born  in  the  following  order,  are: 
David  M.  (deceased),  T.  Jefferson,  James  F., 
Sarah  M.,  now  Mrs.  John  F.  Wilson,  of  Men- 
ard County,  Mary  E.,  or  Mrs.  William  H. 
Thompson,  of  Jacksonville,  Amanda  C,  now 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Thompson,  of  Arenzville  Pre- 
cinct, John  M.,  Marcellus,  George  W.,  Mar- 
cus L.,  Charles  P.,  and  Oscar  (deceased).  Mr. 
Crum  cast  his  first  vote  for  General  Jackson, 
at  Charlestown,  Ind.  He  has  always  evinced 
a  lively  interest  in  the  cause  of  education, 
and  is  awake  to  the  public  interests  of  his 
county  and  State. 

Thomas  Jeffkeson,  his  oldest  living  son, 
was  born  July  9,  1835.  He  received  such 
schooling  as  the  early  advantages  of  those 
times  afforded,  and  grew  up  to  assist  his  fa- 
ther at  a  most  propitious  time,  when  there 
was  much  to  be  done.  He  was  reared  to  be 
a  successful  farmer.  In  1853  he  started  in 
life  for  himself,  with  a  worthy  gift  from  his 
father  of  350  acres  of  Cass  County  land. 
March  11,  1855,  he  married  Miss  Sarah  A., 
daughter  of  William  and  Lucinda  (Turner) 
Henderson.  Mr.  Henderson  is  a  native  of 
Indiana,  and  Mrs.  Henderson  of  Kentucky. 
They  came  to  Morgan  County  in  1830.  Mrs. 
Crum,  born  May  7,  1840,  and  she  has  eight 
children  living,  as  follows:  Charles  E..  Marah 
T.,  Marion  O.,  Willey  S.,  OUie  E.,  May  L., 
Henry  O.,  Eben  R.  Two  died  in  infancy 
without  names. 


Makcellus  also  received  250  acres  from 
the  old  homestead,  upon  which  he  located. 
He  was  born  Jan.  9,  1844,  and  is  the  sixth 
living  child  of  his  father.  He  attended  the 
Wesleyan  University  at  Bloomington;  after- 
ward took  a  commercial  course  in  Chicago. 
Married,  Oct.  19,  ISiO,  to  Mary  E.  Graff, 
daughter  of  Washington  Graff,  of  Morgan 
County.  They  have  four  children:  Alma  C, 
Jessie  F.,  Elton  M.,  Reuel  G. 

Dr.  George  W.  Crum,  the  seventh  living 
child,  was  born  on  the  homestead,  Oct.  1, 
1848.  He  attended  school  at  the  State 
Normal  University,  two  and  a  half  years, 
at  Bloomington,  in  1868,  1869,  and  a 
part  of  1879.  Ho  then  entered  Adrian  Col- 
lege, at  Adrian,  Mich.,  and  in  1873  receiv- 
ed the  degree  of  A.  M.  He  then  returned 
to  the  Wesleyan  College,  and  graduated  as 
an  A.  B.  In  the  meantime  he  spent  two 
years  in  the  study  of  medicine,  at  the  St. 
Louis  Medical  College,  and  graduated  in 
1874,  receiving  his  degree  as  M.  D.  The 
course  of  study  he  pursued  may  seem  rather 
irregular,  but  it  was  taken  as  his  choice,  to 
avoid  the  discipline  under  one  set  of  minds. 
Dr.  Crura  practiced  medicine  about  four  years, 
but  is  gradually  abandoning  practice,  and  has 
embraced  farming,  on  account  of  failing 
health.  He  entered  farming  in  1869,  when 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  adjoiningthe  homestead.  Aug.  21, 1878, 
he  married  Mary  E.  Malone,  daughter  of  Da- 
vid Malone,  of  EvaiisviUe,  Ind.  Mrs.  Crum 
is  a  o-raduate  of  the  Jacksonville  Athasneum, 
and  was  born  April  10,  1856.  They  have  two 
children:  Cora  A.  and  Olga  I. 

Marcus  L.  Crum  was  born  Jan.  16,  1851, 
on  the  homestead.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion at  the  State  Normal  University,  at  Nor- 
mal, 111.,  and  at  the  Wesleyan  University, 
Bloomington,  where  he  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1874.  He  first  took  the  degree  of  B.  S., 
and  since   an    honorarv   degree    of  M.  S.    has 


J.  Qsl.  LcAJLy 


m 


L«NIV' 


AKENZVILLE  PRECINCT. 


317 


been  conferred  upon  him.  He,  with  the 
others,  received  250  acres  from  the  homestead 
property,  as  a  present,  and  to  that  has  been 
added,  until  he  now  owns  about  560  acres, 
160  acres  having  been  presented  to  him  by 
John  Stubblefield,  whose  daughter.  Miss 
Mary  F.,  he  married  March  30,  1875.  They 
have  three  chiliben:  Edith  W.,  Arthur  E., 
and  Oral  C.  A  full  page  portrait  of  our  sub- 
ject appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume  (see 
index). 

CtEORGE  a.  CRUM,  farmer;  P.O.,  Ar- 
enzville;  is  a  native  of  Arenzville  Precinct, 
tliis  county;  born  Oct.  39,  1855;  son  of  Chris- 
tian and  Mary  (Robertson)  Crum,  natives  of 
Clarke  County,  Ind.  Christian  Crum,  our  sub- 
ject's father,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation;  was 
born  May  11,  1803,  and  died  Dec.  30,  1881; 
his  wife,  born  May  17,  1813,  died  March  9, 
1883;  they  were  the  parents  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, three  deceased,  our  subject  being  the 
youngest  child.  His  early  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  Union  School  House,  Arenzville; 
at  seventeen  years  of  age  he  went  to  the 
Wesleyan  College,  Bloomington,  111.,  where 
he  studied  for  three  years.  He  then  devoted 
his  attention  to  farming,  and  also  engaged  in 
the  livery  business.  He  was  married  in 
Beardstown,  this  county,  July  5,  1881,  to 
Lucy  G.  Morris;  born  in  this  county,  Jan.  13, 
1863;  daughter  of  John  C.  and  Nancy  Mor- 
ris. Mr.  Crum  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  member 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

RICHARD  J.  CIRE,  merchant,  Arenz- 
ville; was  born  in  Arenzville,  July  20,  1853; 
son  of  John  L.  and  Catherina  (Hamm)  Cire, 
natives  of  Prussia,  and  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren. He  received  his  education  in  Arenz- 
ville, afterward  taking  a  business  course  in 
the  Jacksonville  Business  College,  of  which 
institution  he  is  a  graduate.  He  then  clerked 
in  his  father's  store  in  Arenzville  for  some 
time,  and  afterward  devoted  his  attention  to 
farming.     For  the  past  two  years  he  has  car- 


ried on  a  general  merchandising  business  in 
Arenzville,  and  has  been  postmaster  therei 
and  still  holds  that  office.  He  is  at  present, 
and  has  been  for  some  time.  Town  Treasurer, 
and  also  Township  Treasurer.  In  Arenzville, 
Feb.  35,  1877,  he  married  Mary  E.  Briugman, 
who  was  born  in  Concord,  Morgan  Co.,  III., 
Aug.  3,  1856;  daughter  of  William  F.  and 
Elizabeth  J.  Bridgraan.  They  have  one 
child,  Edna  G.,  born  Feb.  34,  1878.  He  is  a 
Republican,  and  a  member  of  Lodge  No. 
481,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  Arenzville. 

HERMAN  ENGELBACH,  deceased;  was 
born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  D  !C.  33, 
1839;  only  child  of  George  and  Matilda  (Meyer) 
Engelbach,  natives  of  Germany.  Dr.  George 
Engelbach,  subject's  father,  was  born  Oct.  16, 
18l)4,  and  died  Jan.  IG,  1845;  his  wife,  born 
Dec.  19,  1807,  died  Nov.  16,  1831.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  received  his  education  in 
Jacksonville,  111.,  graduating  from  the  Illinois 
College,  in  that  place,  in  1849.  He  then  en- 
gaged as  book-keeper  in  a  wholesale  hard- 
ware house  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  In  1853  he  re- 
turned to  Arenzville,  and  engaged  in  milling 
and  mercantile  business  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  Dec.  16,  1880.  He  was  married  in 
this  county,  July  16,  1859,  to  Elizabeth  Goe- 
bel,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  was  born 
March  21, 1835.  By  this  union  they  were 
blessed  with  seven  children:  George,  Chris- 
tina, Henry,  Herman,  Frederick,  William 
and  Marie;  the  latter  born  June  8,  1873,  died 
April  31, 1873.  Mrs.  Engelbach  is  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Christina  Goebel;  he,  born  in 
1811;  she,  in  1808.  Mr.  Engelbach  was  a 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church, 
and  in  politics  a  Republican.  (A  more  ex- 
tended sketch  of  our  subject  and  his  father. 
Dr.  George  Engelbach,  will  be  found  in  the 
historical  portion  of  this  work,  devoted  to 
Arenzville  Precinct.) 

CHRISTIAN  FRENCH,  blacksmith,  Ar- 
enzville;   is  a    native  of   Bavaria,  Germany, 


318 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


born  July  24,  1835,  and  son  of  John  and  Lou- 
isa (Wolf)  French.  John  French  was  born 
in  Germany  in  1810;  was  by  trade  a  lock- 
smith, and  died  in  1846;  his  wife  died  in  1879; 
they  were  the  parents  of  six  children.  Chris- 
tian received  his  education  in  his  native  coun- 
try, where  he  attended  school  for  seven  years, 
and  in  1858,  came  to  this  country.  He  learn- 
ed the  blacksmith's  trade,  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
and  has  since  worked  at  that  occupation.  In 
Beardstown,  in  18G1,  he  married  Sarah  E. 
Norton,  a  native  of  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  who 
has  borne  him  ten  children:  Mamie,  OUie,  Ed- 
ward, Ida,  Harry,  Walter,  Leroy  G.,  and  three 
others,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  French  is 
connected  with  the  Lutheran  Church;  is  a 
member  of  Lodge  No.  346,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
at  Concord,  111.,  and  of  Beardstown  Chapter; 
is  also  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  528,  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  and  Lodge  No.  38,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Arenz- 
ville.     He  is  a  Republican. 

WILLIAM  J.  GREEN,  farmer,  P.  O.,  Ar- 
enzville;  was  born  near  the  county  line,  be- 
tween Cass  and  Morgan  Counties,  111.,  Jan.  8, 
1844;  son  of  William  and  Sarah  C.  (Long) 
Green;  he,  born  in  1813,  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, still  living  in  Morgan  County,  111.;  she, 
died  in  1855;  parents  of  nine  children.  Will- 
iam J.  received  his  education  chiefly  in  Morgan 
county,  where  he  began  farming,  but,  since 
1861,  he  has  been  a  farmer  in  this  county. 
During  the  late  war,  he  served  three  years  in 
the  101st  Illinois  Volunteers,  under  Col.  Fox, 
of  Jacksonville,  III.  In  this  county,  Feb.  27, 
1868,  he  married  Theresa  K.  Cire;  born  in 
Arenzville,  March  21,  1842,  and  from  this 
union  six  children  have  been  born:  Richard  J., 
Alice  C,  Lillian  A.,  Amelia,  Florence,  and 
Charles.  (For  Mrs.  Green's  parents  see 
sketch  of  her  brother,  Richard  J.  Cire,  which 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.)  Mr.  Green 
is  a  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party. 

EDWARD    HEINZ,  saloon    and    harness 
shop,  Arenzville;  was    born    in    Gladeiibach, 


Germany,  Feb.  23,  1827;  son  of  Jacob  and 
Louisa  (Beyer)  Heiuz.  Jacob  Heinz,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  followed  the  cooper's  trade, 
and  was  traveling  agent  for  a  wholesale  wine 
house  in  Frankfort,  Germany;  he  also  ran  an 
oil  and  grist  mill,  and  at  one  time  owned  an 
iron  mine;  he  came  here  in  1839;  his  wife 
died  in  1831;  they  had  four  children.  Ed- 
ward attended  the  Giessen  University,  in 
Germany,  for  about  four  years,  and  began 
life  as  a  cooper  in  this  town,  afterward  work- 
insr  on  a  farm  for  Dr.  Georjje  Engolbach,  theu 
for  Mr.  Skinner,  and  then  for  Mr.  Thouipson. 
He  served  during  the  Mexican  war  as  bugler, 
in  Capt.  Mear's  Cavalry,  1st  111.  Reg.,  under 
command  of  Col.  John  J.  Hardin.  During 
the  late  war  he  served  in  the  14th  111.  Reg., 
under  Col.  John  M.  Palmer.  He  also  served 
five  years  (from  1849  to  1854)  in  the  regular 
army.  Mr.  Heinz  has  been  twice  married; 
first,  Aug.  1, 1852,  to  Caroline  Walt,  who  died, 
leaving  four  children:  Amelia,  Louisa,  Albert 
and  Charles.  His  present  wife,  Mary  Doolin, 
whom  he  married  in  May,  1877,  has  borne 
him  three  children:  Dolores,  Leopold  and 
Maggie.  Mr.  Heinz  is  a  Democrat,  and  a 
member  of  Liberty  Lodge  No.  28,  A.  O.  U. 
W.,  in  Arenzville;  his  wives  were  both  Cath- 
olics; he  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lu- 
theran Church. 

JOHN  F.  HACKATAN,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Arenzville;  is  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany; 
born  July  10,  1817;  son  of  Aberhardt  and 
Mary  E.  (Struve)  JIackman;  also  natives  of 
Hanover,  Germany;  he,  a  farmer,  born  in 
1778,  died  in  August,  1835;  she,  born  in 
1792,  died  in  18lil;  they  had  a  family  of  five 
children.  John  F.  attended  school  eight 
years  in  Germany,  and  came  to  this  county 
(then  Morgan  County)  July  21,  1835,  where 
he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming.  In 
this  precinct,  June  24,  1841,  he  married  Wil- 
helmina  A.  Myers;  born  in  Hanover,  Ger- 
man.v,  in  August,  1823;  daughter  of  Gerhardt 


ARENZVILLE  PRECINCT. 


319 


H.  and  Elizabeth  Myers,  and  from  this  union 
eleven  children  Lave  been  born:  Eliza  (de- 
ceased), Maria  (deceased),  John  (deceased), 
Wilhelmina,  Herman  W.,  Sophia,  Matilda, 
Edward,  Sarah,  Emma  (deceased),  and  Henry. 
Ml'.  Hackiiuiii  is  a  Re|Hil}lican,  and  a  n)einl)er 
of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

WILLIAM  HACKMAN,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Arenzville;  is  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany; 
born  Sept.  13,  1820.  He  attended  school  for 
seven  years  and  a  half  in  his  native  country, 
and  also  for  some  time  here.  He  came 
to  this  county  in  June,  1^35,  and  has  since 
resided  here,  engaged  in  farming.  In  this 
county,  May  22,  1845,  he  married  Elizabeth 
Meyer,  a  native  of  Germany;  born  March  22, 
182G.  They  have  had  the  following  children: 
Louis  C,  Louisa,  Lucinda,  Matilda  (deceased), 
and  Edwin  (deceased).  Mr.  Hackman  is  a 
member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat. 

THOMAS  JACKSON,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Ar- 
enzville;  was  born  in  this  county,  July  10, 
184:0;  son  of  James  and  Polly  (Carter)  Jack- 
son; natives  of  Kentucky.  James  Jackson, 
who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in 
1810;  his  first  wife,  subject's  mother,  who 
died  in  1853,  bore  him  six  children;  his  sec- 
ond wife  bore  him  two  children;  he  died  in 
this  county,  in  1857.  Mr.  Jackson  received 
his  education  in  this  county,  also  attended 
school  in  BluiF  City,  Scott  Co.,  111.,  for  some 
time,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer,  which  occu- 
pation he  has  since  followed  in  this  county, 
with  the  e.xception  of  five  years,  during 
which  he  farmed  in  Morgan  and  Scott  Coun- 
ties, 111.  During  the  late  war  he  served  for 
two  years  and  ten  months  in  Co.  I,  llnth  111. 
Vols.,  under  Col.  J.  H.  Moore,  of  Decatur, 
111.,  participating  in  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  and  the  last  battle  at  Nashville.  In 
this  county,  Jan.  10,  18G7,  he  married  Louisa 
Yeck;  born  in  Meredosia,  Morgan  Co.,  111., 
May  22,    1845;    daughter    of  John    B.   and 


Catharine  Yeck.  From  this  union  six  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  William  E.,  Arthur  M., 
Kittie  A.,  Thomas  H.,  Lulu  G.,  and  James  G. 
Mr.  Jackson  is  connected  with  the  Christian 
Church,  and  is  a  Republican. 

TIIH:0D0RE  LAUNER,  farmer  and  stock 
dealer;  P.  O.,  Arenzville;  was  born  in  Beards- 
town,  this  county,  May  2,  1842;  son  of  Fred- 
erick and  Lydia  (Marty)  Launer,  natives  of 
Switzerland.  Frederick  Launer,  who  was  a 
clergyman  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  the 
first  preacher  in  this  county,  was  born  in 
Vi'JG  and  died  in  the  fall  of  1870;  his  wife, 
who  was  born  in  1830,  died  Jan.  4,  1876; 
they  had  seven  children.  Theodore  received 
his  education  in  this  county,  where  he  began 
farming  on  the  homestead  place.  He  after- 
ward learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which 
he  worked  for  some  time,  but  has  since  de- 
voted his  attention  to  farmingr  and  dealins:  in 
Stock.  He  was  married  in  this  county  to 
Louisa,  daughter  of  August  and  Christiana 
Krohe,  natives  of  Sa.xony.  From  this  union 
seven  children  have  been  born:  Louis  (de- 
ceased), Edward  (deceased),  John  (deceased), 
Oscar,  Christiana,  Amelia  and  Lena.  Mr. 
Launer  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  in  politics  is  a  Democrat. 

W.  L.  McCARTY,  druggist,  Arenzville; 
was  born  in  Ohio,  March  5,  1848;  son  of  G. 
A.  and  Lydia  (Knopp)  McCarty;  natives  of 
Ohio.  G.  A.  McCarty,  who  is  still  living,  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in  1818;  his 
wife,  also  living,  was  born  in  1821;  they  are 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children.  Our  subject 
attended  the  schools  of  this  precinct,  and  af- 
terward went  to  school  for  some  time  in  Jack- 
sonville, 111.,  receiving  a  good  education;  he 
then  engaged  as  clerk  for  Albert  Felkner,  of 
Arenzville,  with  whom  he  remained  five  years, 
then  entered  into  partnership,  in  the  general 
merchandising  business,  with  G.  Phili|i|)i, 
and  after  carr^nng  on  business  together  to:- 
two  years,  Mr.  McCarty  sold  out   to  his  part- 


•520 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


ner.  He  afterward  clerked  for  some  time  in 
Meredosia,  Morgan  Co.,  111.,  and  in  1880,  be- 
gan the  drug  business  in  Areuzville,  where  he 
has  since  remained,  doing  a  good  trade.  In 
Areuzville,  Sept.  IG,  ISi'o,  he  married  Mary 
L.  Arenz,  a  native  of  Germany;  they  have 
had  three  children:  Lydia  L.,  Walter  and 
Lawrence.  Mr.  McCarty,  is  a  member  of 
Lodge  No.  481,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  Arenzville;  in 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 

POMPEIUS  PHILIPPI,  farmer,  P.  O., 
Beardstown;  was  born  in  Hamburg,  Germany, 
Oct.  29,  1806;  son  of  John  A.  and  Louisa 
Philippi,  also  natives  of  Hamburg,  Germany; 
he,  a  watchmaker  and  engineer,  born  in  1774, 
and  died  in  March,  1831;  she,  born  in  1780, 
died  here  in  1845;  they  had  seven  children. 
Pompeius  received  a  good  education,  having 
attended  school  in  his  native  country  eleven 
years,  and  began  life  as  a  civil  engineer,  in 
his  native  city.  He  came  here  in  the  year 
1834,  and  has  since  devoted  his  attention  to 
farming.  He  was  married  near  Hamburg, 
Germany,  April  6, 1834,  to  Carlena  L.  Richel- 
niann,  who  was  born  near  that  city,  July  15, 
1811;  daughter  of  John  C.  and  Louisa  A.  Ri- 
chelmann,  and  from  this  union  ten  children 
have  been  born:  Louisa,  Anna,  Bertha  (de- 
ceased), Victor  J.,  Amelia  (deceased),  Her- 
man J.,  Charles  A.  (deceased).  Bertha,  Ame- 
lia, and  Paul  Pompeius.  Mr.  Philippi  is  a 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 

EDWARD  PFEIL,  livery,  Arenzville 
was  born  in  Morgan  County  111.,  near  Ar- 
enzville Nov.  23,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  C,  and  Amanda  (Hamaker)  Pfeil,  both 
of  whom  are  still  living.  John  C.  Pfeil  is  a 
native  of  Germany,  and  learned  the  tailor's 
trade,  but,  after  coming  to  America,  followed 
peddling  for  some  time,  then  engaged  in 
farming,  which  he  has  pursued  for  many  years; 
his  wife  is  a  native  of  this  county;  they  are 
the  parents  of  nine  children.  Edward  re- 
ceived his  education  in  Morgan  County,  III., 


and  engaged  in  farming  there.  In  company 
with  William  S.  Houston  he  carries  on  a  liv- 
ery stable,  doing  a  good  trade.  Mr.  Pfeil  is 
a  member  of  Concord  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in 
Concord,  Morgan  County,  111.;  he  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat. 

JOHN  RAHN,  County  Assessor  and  Treas- 
urer, Arenzville;  was  born  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt, Germany,  about  fourteen  miles  from 
Frankfort-on-the-Main,  April  19,  1839,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Ann  M.  Rahn,  who 
were  parents  of  four  children.  His  father, 
John  Rahn,  a  native  of  Germany,  and  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  still  living;  emigrated 
to  America,  and  Oct.  12,  1854,  located  in 
Arenzville  Precinct,  on  Sec.  32,  town  17, 
range  11.  Our  subject  received  a  good  edu- 
cation, having  attended  school  in  Germany 
eight  years,  and,  after  coming  here  in  October, 
1854,  attended  the  Arenzville  schools,  and 
also  in  Morgan  County  for  some  time.  He 
began  life  as  a  farmer  in  this  county,  where 
he  has  since  followed  that  occupation.  Dur- 
ing the  late  war  he  served  two  years  in  Com- 
pany I,  115th  Illinois  Volunteers,  under  Col. 
Jesse  Moore,  of  Decatur,  111.,  and  was  dis- 
charged on  account  of  disability.  In  Morgan 
County,  111.,  Nov.  5,  1863,  he  married  Susan 
Coffin,  a  native  of  that  county;  born  Nov.  7, 
1843;  daughter  of  Charles  and  Olive  Coffin. 
From  this  union  six  children  have  been  born: 
Charles  J.,  James  M.,  George  H.,  Lizzie, 
Hattie  and  Olive.  Mr.  Rahn  is  present 
County  Assessor  and  Treasurer  of  this  county, 
being  elected  to  each  office  for  a  two  years' 
terra;  has  been  for  twelve  years  a  member  of 
the  School  Board,  and  was  recently  elected 
for  another  term  of  three  years.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Lutheran  Church;  is  Recorder 
and  Lodge  Representative  of  Lodge  No.  28, 
A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Arenzville;  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat. 

HENRY  E.  RAHN,  grain  dealer,  Arenz- 
vilie;'w;is  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany, 


ARKNZVILLE  PRECf.N'CT. 


321 


July  13,  1850.  (For  parents,  see  sk<'tcli  of 
his  brother,  John  Rahn,  which  appears  else- 
where in  tills  work.)  Mr.  Rahn  attondcd 
school  in  this  county,  and  also  in  Morgan 
County,  111.,  for  some  time,  and  besjan  the 
business  of  life  as  a  farmer;  afterward  learned 
the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Arenzviile,  where  he 
followed  that  trade  for  several  years.  He 
then  learned  the  painter's  trade  at  Galesburg, 
111.,  and  since  1869  has  followed  that  trade, 
at  intervals.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in 
dealing  in  grain;  he  is  a  School  Director,  hav- 
ing been  elected  for  a  term  of  three  years;  he 
is  a  Democrat.  In  Arenzviile,  July  18,  1871, 
he  married  Lillian  M.  Wallich;  born  in  Knox- 
ville,  Knox  Co.,  111.,  March  2"2,  1851;  daughter 
of  Matthias  and  Elizabeth  Wallich.  By  this 
union  they  have  been  blessed  with  five  chil- 
dren: Frederick  E.,  Wineford  E.,  Ruel  R., 
Elra  A.  and  Ora  E.  Mr.  Rahn  is  a  member 
of  Lodge  No.  28,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  in  Arenzviile; 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

THOMAS  RICHARDS,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Arenzviile;  is  a  native  of  Arenzviile  Precinct; 
born  May  20,  1837;  son  of  James  H.  and 
Delilah  (Larence)  Richards.  .  James  H.  Rich- 
ards, a  farmer,  was  born  in  Botetourt  County, 
Va.,  April  15,  1800,  and  died  June  2!l,  1866; 
his  wife  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  May  2, 
1802,  died  Sept.  2, 18G0;  they  had  eleven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  deceased,  Thomas  be- 
ing the  eighth  child  of  the  family.  He  re- 
ceived an  ordinary  education  in  this  precinct, 
and  has  always  been  a  farmer.  In  Morgan 
County,  111.,  March  2,  ISG-t,  he  married  Martha 
A.  Dinwiddle,  a  native  of  that  county;  born 
Nov.  7,  184:4;  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Vizilla 
Dinwiddle,  natives  of  Kentucky;  from  this 
union  have  been  born  five  children:  Amie 
R.,  William  T.  U.,  Andrew  F.,  James  D. 
(deoeased)  and  Clara  B.  Mr.  Richards  is  a 
member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.;  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat. 


ANDREW  J.  RICHARDS,  farmor;  P.  O. 
Arenzviile;  was  born  in  Arenzviile  Precinct, 
this  county',  April  20,  1835;  son  of  James  H. 
and  Delilah  (Larence)  Richards.  James  H. 
Richards,  who  was  a  farmer' by  occupation, 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  April  15, 
1800,  and  died  June  29,  1860;  his  wife,  who 
was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  born  May  2, 
1802,  died  Sept.  2,  1800.  Andrew  J.  is  the 
seventh  child  of  their  family  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  deceased.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  na- 
tive precinct,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer 
which  occupation  he  has  since  followed.  Mr. 
Richards  is  a  Democrat;  has  been  School  Di- 
rector; is  a  member  of  Arenzviile  Lodge,  No. 
481,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  is  also  a  member  of  the  A. 
O.  U.  W. 

CHARLES  ROBERTSON,  deceased;  was 
born  in  New  York  State,  June  26,  1810;  son 
of  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  (McDonald)  Rob- 
ertson; natives  of  Scotland.  His  father,  who 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  about 
the  year  1780,  and  died  in  Morgan  Countv, 
111.,  in  1855.  Mr.  Robertson  received  but  a 
limited  education,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer, 
in  Morgan  County,  111.;  came  to  this  county 
May  2,  1821,  and  died  March  8,  1877.  He 
married  Bathsheba  Drinkwater,  who  bore 
him  ten  children:  Sarah  E.,  Alexander,  John 
T.,  Franklin  C,  Martha  E.,  Cyrus  D.,  Jacob 
N.,  Mary  J.,  Charles  and  Daniel.  Mr.  Rob- 
ertson was  a  member  of  the  Old  School  Pres- 
byterian Church,  and  was  a  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party.  His  son,  Alexander  Rob- 
ertson, was  born  in  this  county,  Jan.  15,  1838; 
received  his  education  in  the  Union  School 
house  in  this  county,  where  he  has  since  been 
engaged  in  farming.  During  the  late  war  he 
served  three  years  in  Company  K,  One  Hun- 
dred and  First  Illinois  Regiment,  under  Colo- 
nels Fox  and  La  Sage.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  and,  in 
politics  a  Republican. 


322 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HENRY  SCHAEFER,  shoemaker;  Arenz- 
ville;  was  born  in  Germany,  Sept.  1,  1833, 
and  is  a  son  of  Conrad  and  Christina  (Eiler) 
Schaefer,  also  natives  of  Germany.  Conrad 
Schaefer,  a  shoemaker  and  farmer,  was  born 
in  1807,  and  died  in  1839,  in  Germany,  where 
also  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  1810,  died  in 
1SC5;  they  had  two  children.  Our  subject 
attended  school  in  Germany  for  eight  years; 
came  to  this  country  in  1850,  and  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade  in  Maryland.  In  1856  he 
came  to  Arenzville,  where  he  has  since  pur- 
sued his  trade.  During  the  late  war  he  was 
a  member  of  Company  G,  Eighteenth  Illinois 
Volunteers,  under  Colonel  Webber.  In 
Maryland,  Feb.  23,  1854,  he  married  Dora 
Reuschlein,  a  native  of  Germany;  born  April 
2,  1837;  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Margaret 
Reuschlein.  By  this  union  they  have  been 
blessed  with  twelve  children:  Frederick,  born 
in  Maryland,  April  6,  1855;  J.  Henry,  born 
June  8,  1857;  George,  Jan.  3,  1859;  Anna, 
Jan.  17,  1861;  William,  May  5,  1863;  Eliza- 
beth, June  8,  1867,  died  in  Arenzville  Oct. 
10,  1877;  an  infant  (deceased);  Mary,  born 
Dec.  31,  1869;  Edward,  Feb.  22,1871;  Lula^ 
June  8,  1873;  Maggie,  Sept.  23,  1875,  and' 
Charles  Oct.  11,  1877.  Mr.  Schaefer  is  a 
member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  is  a 
Democrat. 

DR.  J.  M.  SWOPE,  Arenzville;  was  born 
in  Scott  County,  Iiid.,  Dec.  13,  1854,  and  is 
a  son  of  A.  F.  and  Caroline  T.  (Sullivan) 
Swope;  both  are  still  living.  A.  F.  Swope,  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in  Kentucky; 
his  wife  is  a  native  of  Indiana;  they  are  the 
parents  of  seven  children.  The  doctor  receiv- 
ed his  primary  education  in  Adams  County, 
111.,  and,  having  chosen  the  medical  profes- 
sion, entered  the  Medical  University  of  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  of  which  institution  he  is  a  gradu- 
ate. He  began  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Scott  County,  111.,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1880,  moved  to  Arenzville,  where  he  has  since 


been  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  profession, 
meeting  with  good  success,  and  having  a 
large  and  steadily  increasing  practice.  In 
Arenzville,  Dec.  7,  1880,  he  married  Mollie 
J.  Yeck,  who  was  born  in  Arenzville,  Dec.  5, 
1862.  They  have  one  child,  Nina  Grace. 
(For  Mrs.  Swope's  parents,  see  sketch  of  her 
brother,  Edward  Yeck,  which  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.)  Dr.  Swope  is  a  member 
of  Clayton  Lodge,  No.  147.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
and  of  Arenzville  Lodge,  No.  481, 1.  O.  O.F.; 
he  is  a  Democrat. 

ALFRED  M.  THOMPSON,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  is  a  native  of  Arenzville  Precinct, 
this  county;  was  born  Feb.  27,  1850;  son  of 
Oswell  and  Elizabeth  (Henderson)  Thompson; 
natives  of  Ohio;  he,  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
died  Sept.  28,  1864;  she,  living  in  Virginia, 
this  county.  Alfred  M.,  who  is  the  seventh 
child  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  received 
his  primary  education  in  the  Union  School,  in 
this  precinct,  finishing  at  the  Normal  School, 
McLean  County,  111.  He  has  since  followed 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  married  in 
Virginia,  this  county,  Sept.  10, 1872,  Miranda 
L.  Payne,  a  native  of  Cass  County,  Mo.;  born 
July  25,  1854;  daughter  of  William  B.  and 
Hannah  E.  Payne;  her  father  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  Aug.  24,  1824.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thompson  are  the  parents  of  four  children: 
Nellie  (deceased),  William  H.,  David  U.  and 
Edith  P.  Mr.  Thompson  is  a  Democrat;  he 
is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church;  has  held 
the  office  of  School  Director. 

FERDINAND  WINHOLD,  farmer;  P. 
O.,  Beardstown;  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
Nov.  26,  1839,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Barbara  (Weber)  Winhold;  natives  of  Hessen, 
Germany.  William  Winhold,  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  still  living;  was  born  Feb.  1, 1809; 
came  to  this  country  in  1835,  landing  at  Bal- 
timore, Md.,  Aug,  28,  that  year,  and  in  i841 
came  to  this  county;  his  wife,  also  living,  was 
born  in  1805;  they  are  the   parents  of  seven 


AkENZVILLE  PRECINCT. 


323 


cliildreii — two  boj-s  and  five  girls.  Mr.  Win- 
hold  received  his  education  in  this  county 
where  he  has  always  followed  farming.  In 
this  county  in  1866,  he  married  Bertha  Phil- 
ippi;  born  here  Oct.  17,  184G;  daughter  of 
Porapeius  Philippi,  whose  sketch  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.  From  this  union  nine 
children  have  been  born:  Rudolph  F.,  Julius 
W.,  William  P.,  Lena,  Charles  H.,  Eugene  S., 
Paul,  Bodo  H.,  and  Hugo  B.  Mr.  Winhold 
has  been  School  Director  five  years,  and  Road 
Supervisor  one  term,  and  at  present  holds  the 
latter  ofiBce;  he  is  a  Republican,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Union  League. 


EDWARD  YECK,  druggist,  Arenzville; 
is  a  native  of  Arenzville,  born  Oct.  29,  1859, 
and  son  of  Charles  E.  and  Nancy  J.  (Beard) 
Yeek.  Charles  E.  Y eck,  who  was  a  merchant, 
was  born  in  Pennsj'lvania,  and  died  Aug.  7, 
1880;  his  wife,  who  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  is 
still  living;  they  had  five  children.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  received  his  education 
principally  at  Quincy,  and  also  attended 
school  for  some  time  at  Beardstown,  this  coun- 
ty. He  began  the  business  of  life  as  a  drug- 
gist and  hardware  merchant  in  Arenzville, 
where  he  has  since  carried  on  business,  doing 
a  good  trade.     He  is  a  Democrat. 


:iL'4 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


INDIAN    CREEK    PRECINCT. 


P.  H.  CORCORAN,  farmer;  P.O.  Meredo- 
sia,  Morgan  County ;  was  born  in  County  Kil- 
kenny, Ireland,  in  1834;  came  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  and  landed  in 
Chicago  about  Dec.  1, 1849,  where  he  worked 
three  months  for  a  railroad  company,  receiv- 
ing fifteen  cents  per  hour.  From  Chicago  he 
came  to  Meredosia,  Morgan  County,  where  he 
worked  for  Thompson  Bros.,  pork  packers, 
three  months;  then  hired  to  a  farmer  named 
John  Dampey  ;  worked  for  hira  three  years, 
and  lost  $360  of  his  wages  by  the  failure  of 
his  employer.  He  went  North  in  the  fall  of 
1853,  worked  six  months  in  the  pineries  of 
Wisconsin  and  Michigan;  returned  to  Morgan 
County  in  1854,  and  hired  by  the  month  at 
farm  work  for  the  next  three  years.  In  April, 
1857,  he  married  Miss  Laurinah  Graham, 
daughter  of  L.  D.  Graham,  his  employer  ; 
from  this  marriage  seven  children  were  born, 
three  of  whom  are  living,  viz.:  Martha  E., 
married  to  Robert  McAllister,  of  this  county; 
Mary  L.  and  George  E.  at  home.  He  owns 
350  acres  in  town  seventeen,  in  this  county,  all 
with  exception  of  twenty  acres  under  good 
cultivation.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  cast  his 
first  vote  for  James  Buchanan.  Thomas  Cor- 
coran, our  subject's  father,  was  born,  and  is 
still  living  in,  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  in 
advanced  age;  his  wife  died  at  the  old  home, 
in  Ireland,  in  1877.  Mrs.  Corcoran  was  born 
in  Ross  County,  O.,  Aug.  15,1828;  her  father, 
L.  D.  Graham,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Morgan  County,  111.,  at  an  early  day. 

ISAAC  DRINKWATER,  deceased  ;  was 
born  Feb.  17,  1817,  in  Indiana,  and  when 
quite  young,  came  to  Cass  County,  111.  In 
December,  1847,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sa- 
rah Hardy,  of  North  Carolina,  born  in  Ber- 


tie County,  in  December,  1823,  and  came  to 
Cass  County  when  ten  years  of  age.  This 
union  resulted  in  four  children,  two  of  whom 
are  living;  they  are  Henry,  born  July  14, 
1860,  and  .loseph,  born  July,  27,  185G;  both 
are  unmarried,  and  live  with  their  mother. 
Mr.  L.inkwater  died  March  13,  1873,  and 
Mrs.  Drinkwater  now  owns  the  farm,  con- 
sisting of  380  acres,  valued  at  15,500,  where 
she  has  lived  since  1847,  she  being  the  oldest 
settler  of  the  precinct,  with  the  exception  of 
Mr.  A.  S.  Wagner.  Mrs.  Drinkwater  is  a 
member  of  the  Union  Baptist  Church. 

J.  F.  HOLTMANN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Meredo- 
sia, Morgan  County.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  Nov. 
14,  1841.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  he  began 
learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  working  at  it 
three  years.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Johanna  Steinsbimkt,  of 
Hanover,  Germany;  born  in  1844,  died  in 
this  county  in  1866.  Our  subject  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  company  with  his 
father's  family  in  1866;  landed  at  New  York 
city;  thence  by  rail  to  Naples,  111.;  thence 
to  Indian  Creek  Precinct,  this  county,  and 
in  1870  bought  the  farm  on  which  they  are 
now  living,  consisting  of  197  acres,  of  which 
135  are  under  cultivation.  In  the  fall  of 
1881,  our  subject  married  Miss  Henrietta  E. 
Sollman,  who  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
in  1863,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with 
her  parents  in  the  fall  of  1881.  Mr.  Holtmann 
is  the  second  of  a  family  of  six  children,  all 
of  whom,  except  the  oldest,  reside  in  Illinois. 
He  has  one  child,  by  his  first  marriage,  viz.; 
Julia  H.,  born  in  Germany,  in  August,  1866. 
John  Henry  Holtmann,  our  subject's  father, 
is  a  native   of  Hanover;  born  in  1815.     At 


INDIAN  CREEK  PRECINCT. 


32a 


the  age  of  twenty  he  entered  the  regular 
army,  and  served  twenty  years.  His  wife, 
also  a  native  of  Hanover,  was  born  in  1813. 
Both  are  living  with  our  subject.  Our  sub- 
ject and  his  father  are  both  Republicans. 

G.  H.  .lOST,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Meredosia, 
Morgan  Co.;  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
in  February,  1817.  When  eighteen  years  old 
he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Infantry  of  the 
national  army,  and  served  five  years,  receiving 
his  discharge  in  IS-tO.  In  1845  he  sold  his 
farm  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
coming  by  way  of  New  Orleans  to  Beards- 
town  in  November,  1845.  He  settled  on 
a  farm  of  120  acres,  on  Indian  Creek, 
where  he  lived  eleven  years  ;  then  sold  out, 
and  bought  a  half  section  of  land,  where  he 
now  lives.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Deackmeyer,  of  Hanover,  Germany  ;  she 
was  born  in  1823,  and  died  in  this  county 
in  1877,  having  borne  him  ten  children,  six  of 
whom  are  living,  and  five  married.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  those  living  in  order  of 
birth:  A.  H.,  born  in  Germany,  1842;  Louisa, 
born  in  this  county  in  1846;  John,  born  1849; 
Caroline,  born  1853;  Annie,  born  1856;  Har- 
mon, born  1866.  The  average  annual  yield 
of  Mr.  Jost's  farm  in  corn  is  3,000  bushels; 
wheat  1,500  bushels;  the  farm  is  valued  at 
$12,000.  He  is  a  Republican  and  has  filled 
several  offices  of  trust  in  his  precinct. 

G.  H.  KREMS,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Meredosia, 
Morgan  County;  was  born  in  the  kingdom  of 
Hanover,  Germany,  Dec.  18,  1820.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen  he  came  to  the  United  States 
with  his  parents,  landing  at  Beardstown,  this 
county,  on  Jan.  18,  1845.  In  the  spring  of 
1847  his  father  purchased  a  farm  in  Indian 
Creek  Precinct.  Our  subject,  when  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Schroeder,  daughter  of  Fred.  Schroeder,  of 
Germany;  she  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
in  1834,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with 
the  family  of  Mr.  Kreras.      From  this  union 


five  children  were  born,  two  of  whom  are 
living,  viz:  Frederick,  born  in  1857,  and 
Mary,  in  1859.  His  first  wife  having  died  in 
1861,  in  the  spring  of  1863  Mr.  Krems  again 
married,  this  time  to  Mrs.  Catharine  Bloom, 
widow  of  Hunry  Bloom.  She  was  a  native 
of  Prussia;  born  in  1822,  and  died  at  the 
present  residence  of  Mr.  Krems  in  February, 
1874.  From  this  union  there  were  born  three 
children,  of  whom  two  are  living,  viz:  Lizzie, 
born  April  6,  1864,  and  Hcrmon  H.,  born 
Aug.  35,  1867.  Mr.  Krems  owns  489  acres 
of  land,  300  of  which  are  under  cultivation, 
and  engages  in  farming  and  stock-raising;  his 
estate  is  valued  at  $15,000.  He  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

J.  KNIPPENBERG,  farmer;  P.  O.  Mere- 
dosia, Morgan  Co.;  was  born  in  1837,  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Hanover,  Germany,  where  he 
received  a  common  school  education.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  in  the  fall  of  1860; 
landed  at  New  York  city,  thence  by  rail  to 
Beardstown,  this  county.  He  worked  on  a 
farm  by  the  month  for  ten  years.  In  1870, 
he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Mary  Schroeder, 
widow  of  Henry  Schroeder;  she  was  born  in 
Germany,  in  1837;  came  to  this  country  in 
1846;  from  this  union  three  children  have 
been  born,  viz.:  John  H.,  born  in  Septem- 
ber, 1869;  John  Ernst,  born  April  7,  1871; 
Harmon,  born  in  1874,  died  in  September, 
1876.  By  her  first  marriage  Mrs.  Knippen- 
berg  has  three  children:  Annie  M.,  married; 
W.  H.,  and  Emma.  Mr.  Knippenberg  owns 
ninety  acres  of  land  valued  at  $30  per  acre. 
He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  three 
terms  as  School  Director  of  his  district.  A. 
J.  Knippenberg,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a 
native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  where  he  spent 
his  life,  and  died  at  a  very  advanced  age. 

CHARLES  MAYES,  farmer;  P.  O.  Arenz- 
ville;  was  born  in  England,  Nov.  5,  1836, 
and  on  attaining  his  majority,  embarked 
for    the  United   States  in    the    fall    of  1857, 


325 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  after  a  three  months'  voyage,  landed 
in  New  Orleans,  La.  Thence  he  went  to 
Meredosia,  Morgan  County,  111.,  and  remained 
in  that  county  seven  years,  engaged  in  farm- 
ing on  a  rented  farm.  In  1867  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  in  Indian  Creek  Precinct,  this 
county,  where  he  has  since  pursued  farming. 
The  farm  consists  of  eighty  acres  of  prairie 
and  ten  of  timber  land,  and  is  valued  at  forty 
dollars  per  acre.  He  married  March  9,  1859, 
Mary,  daughter  of  William  Sims,  of  Rut- 
land, England,  where  she  was  born  Nov.  23, 
1838.  By  this  union  they  have  been  blessed 
with  seven  children:  Charles,  born  Sept.  2, 
1859,  died  in  infancy;  Anna  E.,  July  26,1861; 
Eliza  Jane,  July  17,  1864;  Richard  William, 
Sept.  4,  1865,  died  Sept.  10,  1860;  Charles 
William,  Oct.  17, 1867,  died  March  27,  1869; 
George  M.,  Dec.  16,  1869,  and  James  F., 
June  25,  1877.  In  August,  1861,  Mr.  Mayes 
enlisted  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and 
Fifteenth  Illinois  Volunteers,  and  served  un- 
til April,  1862,  when  he  was  discharged  on 
account  of  injuries  received  at  Louisville, 
Ky.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mayes  are  members  of 
McKendree  M.  E.  Church,  which  is  situated 
one  and  a  half  miles  southwest  of  their  resi- 
dence; he  is  a  Democrat. 

MRS.  ELIZABETH  STURMAR,  farmer; 
P.  O.  Meredosia,  Morgan  Co.;  widow  of  Kas- 
per  Sturmar,  who  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1827.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  German 
army,  and  in  1851  came  to  the  United  States; 
remained  in  Beardstown,  this  county,  some 
time,  and  worked  by  the  month  on  the  farm 
of  Mr.  Skinner  for  three  j'ears.  He  married 
in  1856,  Miss  Elizabeth  Kahlman  (the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch),  who  was  born  in  Hano- 
ver, Germany,  in  March,  1824;  was  educated  in 
her  native  land,  and  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  in  1855.  They  had  no  children  of 
their  own,  but  they  raised  and  educated   two 


adopted  children,  viz.:  Henry  Schleter,  born 
in  Beardstown,  this  county,  in  April,  1870; 
and  Samuel  Kahlman,  born  in  August,  1873, 
in  Indian  Creek  Precinct,  this  county.  Since 
the  death  of  her  husband,  who  died  in  March, 
1871,  Mrs.  Sturmar  has  managed  the  farm, 
which  consists  of  200  acres,  about  half  of 
which  is  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  be- 
ing timber  land.  Mrs.  Sturmar  is  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  church. 

A.  S.  WAGNER,  farmer;  P.  O.  Mere- 
dosia, Morgan  Co.;  was  born  in  Greene  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  March  22,  1825.  His  father  moved 
from  Greene  County,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  our  subject,  in  Indian  Creek 
Precinct;  he  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
born  in  1802;  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Black 
Hawk  War,  and  afterward  assisted  in  the 
survey  of  this  county,  acting  as  cook  for  the 
company,  when  it  required  great  courage  to 
guard  their  encampment  against  the  prowling 
Indians.  Our  subject  remained  with  his  father 
till  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1862.  In  December,  1862,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  J.  Houston,  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Houston,  of  Arenzville  Precinct;  she  was  born 
in  this  county,  March  10,  1831  ;  they  have 
had  no  children  of  their  own,  but  have  assisted 
in  the  rearing:  and  educating  of  six  children 
who  were  in  need  of  homes.  At  the  death 
of  his  father,  Mr.  Wagner  bought  the  interest 
of  William  S.  Wagner,  joint  heir  to  the 
homestead  farm,  and  now  controls  the  whole, 
consisting  of  160  acres,  120  of  which  is 
under  cultivation.  Mr.  Wagner  is  a  Demo- 
crat. He  had  two  brothers  in  the  late  war, 
one  of  whom  died  in  the  army;  the  other  died 
in  this  county  in  1868.  Mrs.  Wagner's  father 
came  to  this  county  previous  to  the  settlement 
of  Beardstown,  and  lived  here  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1872;  he  raised  a  family  of 
thirteen  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living. 


PRINCETON  PRECINCT. 


327 


PRINCETON    PRECINCT. 


ALBERT  J.  COONS,  station  agent,  Little 
Indian,  born  in  Morgan  County,  111.,  Feb.  14, 
1852.  Received  a  common  school  education 
principally- in  Sangamon  County.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-two  years  left  home  and  commenced 
railroading  at  Berlin,  111.  Oct.  2, 1S76,  he  took 
charge  of  the  station  at  Little  Indian,  since 
which  time  he  ha.s  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
Wabash  R.  R.  He  was  married  in  Cass  County 
Oct.  14, 1880,  to  Miss  Laura,  daughter  of  John 
and  Nancy  Epler.  (See  liistory.)  She  was  born 
Sept.  18, 1858.  George  M.  Coons,  the  father 
of  Albert,  was  born  at  Lexington,  Ky.,  Sept.. 
3,  1816.  Came  to  Morgan  County  in  1S"25;  is 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  still  living;  his 
wife,  Mary  J.  Sturges,  was  born  near  Arcadia 
Morgan  County,  Nov.  11, 1828,  and  died  Sept. 
28,  1861.  She  was  the  mother  of  ten  children 
of  whom  Albert  was  the  fifth  child.  He  is 
highly  esteemed  in  the  community  where  he 
resides,  and  is  considered  a  thorough  business 
man.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

REV.  G.  GARNER,  Methodist  Cler- 
gyman, Little  Indian;  was  born  in  Clarke 
County,  Ind.,  March  11,  1816.  When  14 
years  of  age  he  was  removed  by  his  parents 
to  Cass  County,  111.,  near  where  he  now  re- 
sides. His  educational  privileges  were  not 
of  the  best,  but  he  eventually  fitted  himself 
for  the  ministry.  In  1841  he  was  licensed  to 
preach,  and  spent  the  following  four  years  as 
a  local  minister.  He  became  attached  to  the 
Illinois  Conference  of  Jacksonville,  in  1847; 
his  first  charge  was  at  Waterloo,  Monroe 
County,  where  he  remained  one  year.  He 
preached  in  different  localities  until  1877, 
when  he  returned  to  this  county,  and  has 
since  had  charge  of  the  Zion  M.  E.  Church. 
His  term  of  thirty-five  years  in  the  Illinois 


Conference  has  been  one  of  continuous  labor. 
At  Hebron  March  31,  1836,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Mary  J.  Rebman,  who  was  born  in 
Greene  County  111.,  Nov.  18,  1821.  They 
are  the  parents  of  ten  children,  three  of  whom 
are  deceased;  those  living  are:  Hannah  E., 
wife  of  Rev.  George  B.  Wolf,  of  Jacksonville, 
III.;  Charles  W.,  residing  in  Oregon  Town- 
ship, this  county;  Isaac  C,  in  Ashland; 
Mary,  wife  of  J.  C.  Bagby,  of  Chicago;  Har- 
rie^t  E.,  wife  of  Ross  Her,  of  Pike  County; 
George,  living  at  home,  and  Minnie  Lee,  liv- 
ing in  Chicago  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Bagby. 
Mrs.  Garner  is  a  daughter  of  James  and  Mary 
(Bowen)  Rebman,  natives  of  Kentucky',  both 
of  whom  died  of  cholera  in  1832.  James  Gar- 
ner, the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina;  came  to  Illinois  in  about 
1830,  and  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Cass 
County.  He  was  formerly  a  minister,  but 
after  his  arrival  in  Illinois,  followed  the  occu- 
pation of  farmer  until  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1861.  Elizabeth  Robert- 
son, his  wife,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky.  She 
died  in  1865,  aged  about  sixty-nine  years. 
She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  of  whom 
six  are  still  living,  and  of  whom  Mr.  Garner 
is  the  oldest  now  living.  He  was  originally 
an  old  line  Whig,  but  he  is  now  a  Repub- 
lican. He  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  now  an  active  member  of 
the  order  of  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  frater- 
nity he  has  attained  the  Royal  Arch  Degree. 
JOHN  M.  MONTGOMERY,  farmer;  P.O., 
Little  Indian,  was  born  in  Lexington,  Rock- 
bridge County,  Va.,  July  2,  1815;  he  is  the 
oldest  of  a  family  of  ten  children.  His  ed- 
ucational privileges  were  limited  to  the  com- 
mon  schools   of  Kentucky,  where    he    lived 


328 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


with  his  parents  thirteen  years  previous  to 
their  removal  to  Illinois,  which  occurred  in 
18"29.  He  still  remains  upon  the  homestead 
farm,  which  has  been  his  home  for  fifty-two 
years;  he  has  never  made  a  specialty  on  his 
farm,  but  grows  all  the  usual  farm  crops.  Re- 
ligiously he  has  been  connected  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church  for  a  period  of  forty- 
seven  years.  Politically,  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  socially,  enjoys  the  highest  esteem  of  the 
entire  community.  His  father,  Samuel  Mont- 
gomery, was  also  a  native  of  Virginia;  born 
Oct.  1,  1791;  was  a  cabinet  maker  by  trade; 
he  died  July  25,  1861;  Mary  Bailey,  his  wife, 
was  also  born  in  Virginia,  March  20,  1T91, 
and  died  Feb.  5,  1839. 

CHARLES  W.  PRICE,  merchant.  Little 
Indian;  was  born  in  Knox  County,  111.,  Oct. 
12,  181:5.  At  the  age  of  twelve  years  he  en- 
gaged as  a  farm  hand,  which  occupation  he 
followed  four  years,  when  he  began  clerking 
in  a  drug  store.  June  30,  1862,  he  enlisted 
in  Co.  E,  71st  111.  Vol.  Inft.,  for  the  one  hun- 
dred days'  service;  four  months  later,  he  re- 
enlisted  in  Co.  A,  77th  111.  Vol.  Inft.,  with 
Capt.  G.  G.  Stearns,  under  command  of  Col. 
D.  P.  Grier;  was  mustered  in  ^s  2d  Lieuten- 
ant, Sept.  15, 1864;  served  until  Aug.  10, 1867, 
when  he  was  mustered  out  as  a  captain.  He 
was  married  at  Versailles,  111.,  April  18,  1872, 
to  Miss  Mary  Hambaugh,  who  was  born  at 
Versailles,  Dec.  27, 1843.  They  have  one  boy 
Frank;  born  Dec.  29,  1873.  Mrs.  Price  is  a 
niece  of  Gov.  Ford,  of  Illinois,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Stephen  D.  and  Elmina  (Stone)  Ham- 
baugh. He,  born  in  Nelson  County,  Ky.,  Oct. 
23,  18U2;  came  west  in  1825,  and  engaged  in 
farming;  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in 
1812.  His  death  occurred  Nov.  3,  1877.  His 
wife,  Elmina,  was  born  in  Franklin  County, 
Vt.,  July  2,  1813,  and  is  still  living.  James 
Price,  the  father  of  Charles,  was  born  in  Scott 
County,  Ky.,  April  2,  1818;  came  West  when 
twelve  years  of  age,  and   is  now  engaged  in 


harness  making  at  Toulon,  111.  Lucy  C.  Ham-| 
lin,  his  wife,  was  born  in  Addison  County,  Vt., 
April  5,  1822,  and  is  still  living.  She  is  the 
mother  of  six  boys,  of  whom  Charles  is  the 
second  child.  He  came  to  Cass  County  Nov. 
1,  1878,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged 
in  general  merchandising  at  Little  Indian ; 
was  appointed  Postmaster,  soon  after,  which 
office  he  still  holds.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
fraternity  of  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  politically 
is  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  STEVENSON,  farmer,  stock- 
breeder and  dealer;  P.  O.,  Little  Indian;  is  a 
descendant  of  good  old  Virginia-Kentucky 
stock,  and  a  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Elliott) 
Stevenson,  both  natives  of  Virginia;  the  for- 
mer born  about  the  year  1777,  and  emigrated 
with  his  parents  to  Kentucky  in  an  early  day, 
when  that  country  was,  indeed  and  in  truth, 
the  "  dark  and  bloody  ground,"  and  the  home 
of  numerous  tribes  of  hostile  savages.  It  was 
then  the  custom,  after  rising  in  the  morning, 
before  opening  the  door,  to  take  a  close  ob- 
servation of  the  surroundings  of  the  cabin, 
from  some  convenient  loop-hole  made  for  the 
purpose,  in  order  to  discover  any  prowling  In- 
dian that  might  be  lurking  around.  Upon 
their  emigration  to  Kentucky,  the  Stevenson 
family  settled  in  what  is  now  Scott  County, 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  spots  of  the  famous 
blue  grass  region,  where  they  remained  until 
the  removal  of  James  Stevenson  to  Illinois,  in 
1829.  He  settled  in  that  part  of  Morgan 
County  now  included  in  Cass,  where  he 
bought  160  acres  of  land,  and  entered  enough 
to  make  a  section.  He  followed  farming,  and 
died  in  1851,  at  the  age  of  74  years;  his  wife 
died  in  July,  1829,  a  short  time  before  the 
familv  moved  to  Illinois,  and  sleeps  in  the 
little  graveyard,  near  the  old  Kentucky  home. 
They  raised  a  family  of  nine  children — five 
sons  and  four  daughters.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stev- 
enson were  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.     William,  our  subject,   was  born  in 


PRINCETON  PRECINCT. 


329 


Scott  Countj',  Ky.,  Dec.  25,  181,3,  and  came 
with  his  parents  to  Illinois  in  1839.  He  now 
lives  upon  the  land  entered  by  his  father,  and 
owns  a  fine  farm,  highly  improved  and  well 
cultivated,  of  about  560  acres,  lying  on  the 
P.  P.  &  .T.  Railroad,  a  short  distance  south  of 
Virginia,  the  county  seat  of  Cass.  Mr.  Stev- 
enson makes  a  specialty  of  rearing  fine 
stock,  consisting  of  Short  Horn  cattle.  Cots- 
wold  and  Southdown  sheep,  and  Berkshire 
hogs.  His  herd  of  Short  Horns  are,  perhaps, 
unsurpassed  by  any  herd  ever  reared  in  the 
far  famed  blue  grrass  region — a  region  that  is 
known  the  world  over  for  its  fine  stock.  But 
a  full  and  complete  sketch  of  the  herd  of  Mr. 
Stevenson  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  de- 
voted to  the  agriculture  of  the  count}',  in 
another  part  of  this  volume.  Mr.  Stevenson 
has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office,  but  has 
given  his  time  principally  to  the  improvement 
of  his  farm,  and  the  c  ire  and  breeding  of  fine 
stock.  He  took  an  active  part  in  getting  the 
railroad,   and  since  its  completion  has   been 


its  agent  at  the  station  near  his  residence. 
He  was  married  Feb.  11,  1836,  to  Frances 
Berry,  a  daughter  of  William  S.  and  Rachel 
(Row)  Berry,  natives  of  Virginia;  the  former 
born  in  Stafford  County,  and  the  latter  in 
Orange  County.  They  emigrated  to  Cass 
County  (then  Morgan)  in  1833;  he  died  at  an 
advanced  age,  and  she  died  at  the  ag:e  of 
seventy-two  years.  Mrs.  Stevenson  was  born 
June  4,  ]  813,  in  Orange  County,  Va.,  before 
her  parents  moved  to  Illinois.  She  and  Mr. 
Stevenson  have  had  seven  children  born  to 
them,  of  whom  four  are  living,  viz.:  Robert, 
Cornelia  (wife  of  John  Bergen),  Joseph  and 
Charles;  and  deceased,  Mary,  Thomas,  and 
Rachel  Ann,  wife  of  William  Martin.  Mrs. 
Stevenson  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church;  Mr.  Stevenson  is  a  liberal  supporter 
of  the  Church,  but  not  a  member  of  any  de- 
nomination. He  was  an  old  Whig  in  politics, 
and  since  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party,  has  cast  his  vote  for  its  standard 
bearers. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


RICHMOND    PRECINCT. 


LEVI  DICK,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Chandlerville; 
■was  born  in  Kentucky,  Feb.  17,  1815,  and  is 
a  son  of  Peter  and  Christiana  (Sbutt)  Dick. 
Mr.  Peter  Dick  was  born  in  North  Carolina, 
and  emigrated  to  Sangamon  County,  111., 
with  his  family,  as  early  as  1829,  and  in  the 
following  year  settled  in  Cass  County,  upon 
the  dreaded  bottoms  of  the  Saiisfamon;  for  in 
an  early  day  the  bottom  lands  were  consid- 
ered the  most  sickly,  pestilential,  and  ague- 
shaking  of  all  the  country  in  this  section  of 
the  State.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  re- 
mained with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  of  age;  for  he  was  a  dutiful  and 
obedient  son,  and  did  not  desert  his  home 
and  parents  for  two  years  after  he  arrived  at 
his  majority;  he  then  left  home  to  engage  in 
business  for  himself,  for  he  always  cherished 
an  inborn  desire  to  do  and  to  make  for  him- 
self that  which  might  be  called  his  own,  and 
by  a  rigid  system  of  economy  and  untiring 
industry,  he  accumulated  a  handsome  prop- 
erty, and  has  an  enviable  reputation  as  a 
farmer  and  a  man  of  business  integrity.  He 
now  has  a  comfortable  home  and  a  finely  im- 
proved farm  of  380  acres.  In  1839  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Emmatere  Leeper,  who  was  born  in 
1815,  and  died  in  1853,  leaving  three  children 
as  the  result  of  their  union,  viz.:  Amos, 
Robert  and  Martha.  In  1854  he  was  a  second 
time  married,  to  Ann  Morgan,  a  native  of 
Cass  County,  and  born  in  1830;  she  is  the 
mother  of  two  children,  Cordelia  and  George. 
Mr.  Dick,  politically,  holds  to  the  principles 
of  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  never  as- 
pired to  official  promotions,  believing  it  to  be 
more  becoming  and  consistent  to  attend  to 
the  duties  of  his  farm  and  family,  than  to 
enter  tht»  political    rin'X  and  clamor  for  olficc. 


Mr.  Dick  has  made  many  friends,  and  is 
widely  known  as,  morally  and  socially,  an 
estimable  man. 

THEODORE  E^RANKENFIELD,  farmer; 
P.  O.,  Chandlerville;  was  born  in  Germany 
Dec.  20,  1830,  to  Franklin  and  Hannah  (Mul- 
len) Frankenfield.  They  were  both  natives 
of  Germany.  He  died  in  1833,  aged  sixty- 
seven  years.  She  died  in  1871,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  four  boys  and  one  girl,  Theodore,  out 
subject,  being  the  third  child.  His  early  life 
was  spent  in  receiving  a  common  school  edu- 
cation. When  quite  young  was  apprenticed 
to  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  followed  the 
same  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  old,  when 
he  entered  the  army  and  served  four  years.  In 
1858  he  left  home  and  emigrated  to  America 
landing  in  New  York.  The  first  four  years  ot 
his  life  in  America  was  spent  in  the  West, 
roaming  from  place  to  place.  In  1862  he  came 
to  Cass  County,  where  he  was  employed  as  a 
farm  hand,  but  soon  after  began  farming  on 
his  own  account;  he  is  now  the  owner  of  300 
acres  of  well  improved  land.  In  Cass  County, 
in  1859,  he  married  Miss  Susan  K.,  daughter 
of  Joshua  Morris  (deceased).  She  was  born 
in  Cass  County,  in  1859.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank- 
enfield are  the  parents  of  five  children:  Josh- 
ua, Willie,  Matilda,  Frank  and  Henry.  He 
and  his  wife  are  connected  with  the  Metho- 
dist church.  Politically,  his  sympathies  are 
with  the  Democratic  party. 

HAMILTON  HALL,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chand- 
lerville; was  born  in  East  Tennessee,  Nov.  23, 
1823,  to  Squire  and  Lair  (Lane)  Hall.  He 
was  born  in  Wilkes  County,  N.  C.  March  6, 
1791.  He  brought  his  family  to  Illinois  in 
182S,    and   settled    in    Menard    County,    and 


RICHMOND  PRECINCT. 


331 


moved  to  Cass  County  in  1844.  He  was  a 
farmer;  he  died  June  11,  1871.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1813.  He  was  a  son 
of  Martin  Hall,  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
of  French  and  Irish  descent.  The  great- 
grandfather of  our  subject  was  transported  to 
America  for  taking  three  cherries.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  born  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, Dec.  9,  1779,  and  died  Aug.  19,  18G1. 
She  was  the  mother  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
our  subject  was  the  fourth  child.  He  was 
educated  from  the  common  schools  of  Me- 
nard County.  He  remained  with  his  parents 
until  he  was  twenty-seven  years  old,  assisting 
his  father  at  farming.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account, 
on  forty  acres  of  land.  He  is  the  owner  of 
107  1-6  acres  of  good  land  now;  he  met  with 
good  success.  He  commenced  life  poor  and 
made  all  he  has  got.  In  Nov.  3,  1870,  in 
Cass  Couiit}^,  he  married  Parthenia  E.  Kee, 
who  has  borne  iiim  nine  children,  six  living, 
viz.:  George,  Caroline,  Jeiferson  D.,  Benja- 
min, Robert  Lee,  and  Samuel.  Politically,  he 
is  a  Greenbacker;  formerly  a  Democrat. 

WILLIAM  LYNN,  deceased,  was  one  of 
the  oldest  settlers  of  Cass  County,  and  one 
who  lived  to  see  it  come  up  from  a  wilderness 
state  to  its  present  condition  of  advanced 
civilization  and  whose  portrait  appears  in  this 
work,  was  born  Nov.  17,  1800,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  the  sec- 
ond son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Laird) 
Lynn.  His  father  was  a  Pennsylvania  Ger- 
man, a  miller  by  trade,  also  owning  a  farm. 
He  served  his  country  in  the  war  of  1812 
as  one  of  the  "  minute  men,"  and  was  pres- 
ent at  the  celebrated  victory  of  Commodore 
Perry,  on  Lake  Erie.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Fleming 
County,  Ky.,  afterward  to  Nicholas  County, 
where  he  remained  until  his  death.  Wm. 
Lynn  left  home  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and 
wts  apprenticed  to  a  millwright,  serving  four 


years  and  seven  months.  He  followed  his 
trade  and  milling  for  about  twenty  years, 
working  in  Kentucky,  Ohio,  and  Illinois.  In 
1825  he  came  to  Richland,  Sangamon  Coun- 
ty, 111.,  and  built  a  flour  and  grist  mill,  and 
run  it  for  four  years  for  the  Broadwell  Bros. 
In  the  spring  of  1830,  memorable  as  the  year 
of  the  "  deep  snow,"  he  came  to  the  Sanga- 
mon Bottom,  and  entered  IGO  acres  of  land 
five  miles  northeast  of  the  present  site  of 
Chandlerville.  This  was  the  second  piece  of 
land  entered  in  this  valley.  In  1831  he  moved 
on  the  land  and  began  improvements.  He 
remained  eighteen  months,  and  then  returned 
to  Richland,  and  run  the  mill  four  years 
longer.  It  was  claimed  that  the  first  barrel 
of  superfine  flour  ever  sold  in  the  city  of 
Springfield  was  made  by  Mr.  Lynn  in  this 
mill.  In  1837  he  returned  to  the  farm,  and 
quit  the  milling  business  for  life.  In  1840  he 
sold  his  first  land,  and  purchased  land  further 
up  the  valley,  where  he  remained  to  his  death, 
which  occurred  Oct.  24,1873.  He  first  intro- 
duced the  short  horned  Durham  cattle  into 
this  part  of  the  country,  greatly  improving 
the  stock  of  the  community.  At  his  death  he 
was  the  owner  of  about  1,000  .acres  of  land. 
His  marriage  occurred  on  the  12th  of  June, 
1823,  to  Miss  Sarah  Huse,  in  Bro%vn  Countj', 
Ohio.  She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children. 
She  was  born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  Aug. 
18,  1800,  and  died  March  28, 1877.  For  more 
that  I'orty  years  these  old  veterans  served  as 
faithful  soldiers  of  the  cross  in  the  Methodist 
Church.  A  consistent  walk,  and  a  faithful 
training  in  the  fear  of  God,  has  not  been  with- 
out its  fruit  in  the  lives  of  their  children. 
Two  daughters  and  one  son  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  and  two  sons  are  Methodists. 
JOHN  A.  LINN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chandler- 
ville ;  is  a  native  of  Sangamon  County,  111. 
He  was  born  June  16,  1828.  The  early  life 
of  .John  A.  was  spent  in  receivini;  such  an 
education    as   the    common    schools   of  Cass 


332 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


County  afforded  in  his  day.  He  remained 
with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-one 
years  old,  and  then  began  work  for  himself  by 
farming  on  his  own  account.  In  Cass  County, 
on  Dec.  19,  1850,  he  married  Miss  Eliza 
Hickey,  who  bore  him  the  following  children: 
Matilda,  Charles,  Martha,  James,  and  Frank. 
His  wife  was  born  in  Cass  County,  on  Nov. 
28,  1834,  and  died  June  25,  18(38.  In  1869, 
he  was  married  to  Cynthia  E.  Williams.  Of 
this  union  three  children  are  now  living,  viz.: 
Ida,  (/laude  E.,  and  Harry.  Mrs.  Linn  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Linn  is 
the  owner  of  524  acres  of  well  improved  land, 
and  is  an  honest,  upright  citizen. 

T.  T.  LYNN,  farmer;  P.O.,  Chandler- 
ville  ;  was  burn  in  Sangamon  County,  Dec. 
15,  1830.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Cass  County.  His  early  life  was 
spent  at  home  upon  the  home  farm;  when  he 
was  twenty-two  years  old  he  left  home  and 
beo-an  farming  on  his  own  account.  Dec.  10, 
1852,  in  Cass  County,  he  married  Miss  Letitia 
Hickey,  a  native  of  Menard  County;  born 
April  7,  1832.  Mr.  Lynn  and  wife  are  the 
parents  of  the  following  children  :  John  C, 
Letitia,  Sarah  A.,  James  W.,  Timothy  T.,  jr., 
Mary  B.,  Joseph  C,  and  Francis  L.,  who  died 
S3pt.  18, 1862.  Mr.  Lynn,  politically,  holds 
to  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 
He  has  never  aspired  to  official  promotion, 
believing  it  more  becoming  and  more  con- 
sistent to  attend  to  the  duties  of  his  farm  and 
family  than  to  enter  the  political  ring  and 
clamor  for  office.  He  commenced  life  with 
no  capital,  but  a  strong  body  and  a  willing 
mind.  He  is  novv  the  proprietor  of  over  800 
acres  of  the  best  land  of  Cass  County.  Of 
pleasant,  affable  address,  liberal  in  his  views, 
genial  and  gentlemanly  in  his  social  relations, 
high-minded  and  public-spirited,  Mr.  Lynn 
wields  a  large  influence  in  the  community  in 
which  he  lives,  and  deserves  a  place  high  on 
the  roll  of  the  substantial  men  of  Cass  County. 


WILLIAM  P.  LYNN  was  born  in  Sanga- 
mon County,  III.,  Feb.  17,  1835,  to  William 
and  Sarah  Lynn.  He  remained  with  his 
parents  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  old, 
attending  the  common  schools  of  Cass  County, 
and  assisting  in  tilling  the  soil  of  his  father's 
farm.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  he 
left  home,  and  commenced  farming  on  his 
own  account,  upon  a  farm  he  rented  of  his 
father,  who  left  him  at  his  death,  ninety-three 
acres  of  land.  He  has  added  to  this,  until  he 
is  now  the  owner  of  160  acres.  On  Feb. 
25,  1858,  he  married,  in  Cass  County,  Nancy 
Clark,  a  native  of  Ross  County,  Ohio.  She 
died  on  Feb.  3,  1879,  leaving  four  children, 
viz.:  William,  Curtis,  Olletha,  Robert,  and 
Perry.  On  April  25,  1882,  he  married  Maria 
Worthington,  a  native  of  Ohio,  near  Chilli- 
cothe.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  at  Chandlerville.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Republican. 

JAMES  S.  LYNN,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Mason 
City;  was  born  in  Cass  County,  Sept  18, 1839. 
He  received  his  education  from  the  common 
schools  of  Cass  County.  His  early  life  was 
spent  at  home,  helping  his  father  till  the  farm. 
He  remained  at  home  until  1862,  when  he 
enlisted  in  Company  E.  85th  Illinois,  un- 
der command  of  Captain  Scott;  was  in  battle 
of  Perry ville,  Boyle  County,  Ky.;  was  shot 
through  left  hip.  In  1861,  in  Cass  County, 
he  married  Anna  M.  Trumbull,  who  died  in 
1802.  In  August,  1865,  he  married  Mrs.  Ma- 
tilda J.  Turner,  who  has  borne  him  eight  chil- 
dren, five  living,  viz.:  Ada  J.,  Addison  J., 
Ella  M.,  Emerson,  Leonard.  He  carried  on 
farming  in  Cass  County  until  1871,  when  he 
removed  to  Mason  County,  where  he  is  still 
engaged  in  farming.  He  is  now  the  owner 
of  about  300  acres  of  land.  Self  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church;  he  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Honor, 
and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

NATHAN     SUTTON,     farmer;     P.     O., 


a-^i^^^^ 


'-^/^ 


V^H 


^^'\ 


RICHMOND  PRECINCT. 


335 


t 


Chandlerville;  son  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza- 
beth (Robe)  Sutton;  was  born  Jan.  ^2,  1819, 
in  tlie  State  of  New  Jersey.  When  four 
years  old  his  parents  emigrated  to  Michigan, 
and  settled  within  five  miles  of  where  the 
city  of  Ann  Arbor  now  stands.  Here  the 
family  resided  some  ten  years,  and  then  emi- 
grated to  Cass  County,  111.  They  located  on 
Pecan  Bottom,  about  six  miles  above  the 
present  neat  and  flourishing  town  of  Chand- 
lerville. Here  the  parents  died — Mrs.  Sutton 
about  1837,  and  her  husband  about  1839. 
They  were  exemplary  Christians,  and  repose 
in  hope  of  better  resurrection.  They  left 
behind  them  a  family  of  six  children:  Sylves- 
ter, Nathan,  Nelson,  George,  Mrs.  Sarah  A. 
(Isaac)  White,  and  Mrs.  Eliza  (Charles)  Co- 
rey. Mr.  Sutton,  probably  has  had  as  varied 
an  experience  as  any  man  of  his  age  resident  of 
the  county.  Born  in  the  cultivated  society  of 
the  East,  he  was  taken  into  a  new  State  when 
quite  young,  spent  some  ten  years  among  the 
Imiians,  where  white  men  were  so  seldom 
seen  that  he  was  actually  afraid  of  them  when 
he  chanced  to  meet  them.  Cass  County  was 
but  sparsely  settled  when  he  first  came  into 
it.  Aug.  4,  1842,  Mr.  Sutton  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Ann,  daughter  of  Richard  and 
Elizabeth  (Merrill)  ^ttamar,  formerly  of  the 
State  of  Maryland.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with  the  following  children:  William 
S.,  Alonzo,  John  H.,  David  L.,  Winfield  S., 
Mrs.  Clara  (Joshua)  Conger,  Benjamin  R., 
Charry  E.  Personally,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
say  one  word  of  Mr.  S.  and  lady,  as  they  are 
well  known  in  their  part  of  the  county  as  be- 
ing among  the  best  of  our  citizens.  They 
are  both  members  in  good  standing  in  the 
Baptist  Church,  he  being  a  deacon  among 
this  people. 

HENRY  TAYLOR,  farmer.  Among  the 
names  of  the  old  settlers  of  Cass  Coun- 
ty, none  is  more  deserving  of  passing  in- 
to history  than   that  of  Henry  B.   Taylor,  de- 


ceased, the  father  of  our  subject,  and  the 
son  of  John  and  Barbara  (Beason)  Taylor. 
He  was  born  January  24,  1814,  near  the  city 
of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  when  he  was  about 
sixteen  years  old,  he  came  with  his  father  and 
family  to  Pecan  Bottom,  Cass  Co.,  111.,  and 
settled  with  them  about  six  miles  above  the 
city  of  Chandlerville,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  until  removed  by  death,  Feb.  5,  1864. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  North  Carolina, 
and  were  both  members  of  the  regular  Bap- 
tist Church.  They  raised  five  children:  Rob- 
ert, Mrs.  Nancy  (William)  McCauley,  Mrs. 
Rebecca  (William)  Morgan,  Mrs.  Matilda 
(James)  Samuels,  and  Henry  B.,  who  married 
Mary  P.,  daughter  of  John  and  Catharine 
(Graves)  Hawthorne.  This  union  was  blessed 
with  the  following  children,  all  living:  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  (Charles)  Anderson,  Mrs.  Mary  C. 
(Peter)  Rickard,  Mrs.  Barbara  M.  J.  (William) 
.Weaver,  John,  and  Henry,  our  subject. 
Henry  Taylor  was  born  in  Cass  County, 
Aug.  17,  1852.  His  early  life  was  spent  at 
home  on  the  homestead  farm,  and  receiving 
such  an  education  as  the  common  schools  af- 
forded. Arriving  at  manhood,  he  embarked 
on  his  career  as  a  farmer,  and  is  at  the  present 
time  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
acres  of  good  land.  He  was  married  Dec.  27, 
1870,  to  Miss  Matilda  Linn.  Mrs.  Taylor  was 
born  in  Cass  County,  Nov.  2, 1852.  They  are 
the  parents  of  five  children:  Jennie  B.,  John 
R.,  Hattie  E.,  Lulu  and  Jesse.  The  Taylor 
family  is  of  English  descent,  and  came  to  this 
country  before  its  independence  from  the 
mother  country;  and  the  ancestry  living  at 
the  time,  were  patriots  in  the  cause  of  free- 
dom, and  some  of  them  served  as  soldiers  in 
the  Revolutionary  War.  Robert,  the  great- 
great-grandfather,  was  alive  at  this  time;  his 
sons,  Daniel,  Wdliam,  and  Henry,  did  service 
for  their  country  in  the  Continental  Army. 
Mr.  Taylor's  great-grandfather,  who  was  also 
named  Robert,  raised  the  following  children: 


336 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Herron,  Manoah,  Robert,  Benjamin,  John, 
Mrs.  Betsey  (Leonard)  Dugger,  Mrs.  Lucy 
(Whitehead)  Janner,  Mrs.  Keziah  (Jesse)  Ske- 
han,  Mrs.  Nancy  (David)  Bradley,  and  Polly, 
•who  first  married  "William  West,  and  after- 
ward Joseph  McGlothling.  John,  Mr.  Taylor's 
grandfather,  was  born  Sept.  13, 1782,  and  died 
in  Pecan  Bottom,  Sept.  3,  1843.  His  wife, 
and  grandmother  of  our  subject,  was  born 
March  7,  1788,  and  died  in  Mason  County, 
June  13,  1871.  Mr.  Taylor's  father  was  bap- 
tized into  the  fellowship  of  the  Baptist  Church 
by  Elder  M.  Hartley,  in  the  spring  of  1859, 
and  continued  his  membership  in  the  Mount 
Olive  Church,  which  he  was  largely  instrument- 


al in  building  up,  till  his  death.  He  was  an 
active  member,  and  rose  to  the  oiEce  of  dea- 
con, which  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  For  a  number  of  years  he  held  the  of- 
fice of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  his  judgments 
were  always  characterized  with  equity  and 
legal  precision,  and  seldom  failed  to  give 
satisfaction,  and  always  were  sustained  in  the 
higher  courts.  Though  his  chances  of  educa- 
tion were  very  unfavorable,  still,  by  his  own 
e'lertion,  he  attained  more  than  a  common  ed- 
ucation. He  delighted  especially  in  the  study 
of  astronomy,  and  in  the  reading  of  the  "  old 
family  Bible,"  the  precepts  of  which  were 
beautifully  illustrated  in  his  private  life. 


PHILADELPHIA  PRECINCT. 


337 


PHILADELPHIA    PRECINCT. 


JOHN  L.  BUCKLEY,  retired  farmer;  P. 
O.  Philadelphia;  was  born  in  England,  Jan. 
14:,  1812.  In  1837  he  emigrated  to  America, 
and  located  in  Cass  County,  and  followed  the 
occupation  of  a  carpenter.  About  1849  he 
went  to  California,  where  he  remained  about 
three  years.  After  his  return  from  California 
he  commenced  farming,  which  he  carried  on, 
more  or  less  extensively,  until  1869,  when  he 
sold  his  property  and  retired  from  active  la- 
bor. At  this  date  he  is  hale  and  hearty,  and 
bids  fair  to  live  still  many  years.  He  was 
married  in  Cass  County,  June  3,  1844,  to  Miss 
Mary  A.  Undsley,  who  was  born  in  Ontario 
County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  24,  1815.  Martin  L. 
Lindsley,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Buckley,  was  edu- 
cated for  a  physician,  and  was  of  a  very  roving 
disposition.  He  was  killed  in  1830,  while  dig- 
ging a  well.  His  wife,  Orilla  Bordman,  was 
born  in  Vermont  in  Rutland,  Co.,  Aug.  31, 
1788;  died  M  ty  1,  1877.  She  was  the  mother 
of  eight  children.  Mrs.  Buckley's  parents 
were  both  well  educated,  and  taught  school 
at  one  time.  John  Buckley,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  a  native  of  England,  a  merchant 
by  occupation.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Lees,  was 
also  of  England;  she  was  the  mother  of  ten 
children,  of  whom  John  L.,  our  subject,  was 
the  sixth  child.  Politically,  Mr.  Backley 
was  originally  an  old  line  Whig,  but  since 
its  day  has  been  iden  tified  with  the  Republi- 
can pkrty.  Religiously,  himself  and  wife  are 
connected  with  the  Christian  Church. 

MARK  BUCKLEY,  farmer;  P.  O.  Virginia ; 
is  a  native  of  Lancashire,  England;  was  born 
May  15,  1815,  son  of  J.  L.  Buckley  (see  his- 
tory). In  1837,  our  subject  came  to  America, 
located  in  this  county,  and  soon  after,  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother,  opened  a  cabinet  shop 


at  Virginia.  In  1848,  he  removed  to  his 
present  place  of  residence,  and  has  since  been 
engaged  more  or  less  extensively  in  farming. 
He  erected  a  fine  farm  residence  in  1869,  and 
has  the  place  in  first-class  order.  At  present 
he  has  retired  from  active  labor,  his  son  now 
having  charge  of  the  farm.  He  married  in 
this  county,  March  26,  1850,  Cornelia  Job,  a 
native  of  this  county,  born  Dec.  30, 1823,  who 
has  borne  him  five  children,  viz.:  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Charles  Black,  of  Virginia,  Alice,  wife 
of  H.  Turner,  also  of  Virginia,  Archibald  J., 
Franklin,  and  Adeline,  at  home.  Mrs.  Buck- 
ley is  a  daughter  of  Hon.  A.  and  Jane  Job. 
He  came  from  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  to  Beardstown, 
by  boat,  in  1820.  He  was  the  first  represent- 
ative in  the  Legislature  from  Morgan  County, 
which  at  that  time  included  what  is  now 
Cass,  Morgan  and  Scott  Counties.  Mr. 
Buckley  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church; 
he  is  a  Republican. 

ABRAHAM  BAILEY,  Philadelphia;  was 
born  in  Virginia,  April  13,  1825;  son  of  Rob- 
ert and  Charlotte  (Snyder)  Bailey,  natives  of 
Virginia;  he,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  died  in 
1847,  aged  about  forty-nine  years;  she  died 
in  1881,  aged  about  eighty  years.  Subject, 
the  eldest  of  a  family  often  children,  received 
a  common  school  education,  and  began  the 
business  of  life  as  a  farmer.  In  1857  he  came 
to  Illinois,  and  settled  in  this  county,  where 
he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming,  and 
where  he  now  owns  a  farm  of  150  acres  of 
choice  farming  land.  In  Virginia,  Oct.  1, 
1849,  he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Joel  and 
Mildred  Snyder,  and  a  native  of  that  State; 
born  Aug.  10,  1830,  who  has  borne  him  ten 
children,  of  whom  eight  are  living,  viz.:  Mary, 
wife  of  Charles    L.   Bailey,    Martha,   wife  oi 


838 


BIOGEAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Wni.  S.  Little,  now  in  California,  David,  a 
farmer,  Fanny,  Ada  and  Charles,  at  home, 
George  and  Frank.  Mr.  Bailey  is  now  serv- 
ing his  third  term  as  Justice  of  the  Peace;  is 
also  a  Township  Trustee;  he  is  a  Democrat, 
and  a  member  of  the  Christian  Church. 

WILLIAM  BARKLEY,  farmer;  P.O.  Vir- 
ginia; was  born  in  Portage  County,  Ohio,  April 
1-t,  18-lG;  youngest  of  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren, born  to  Christopher  and  Christina 
(Waukniiller)  Barkley,  natives  of  Germany; 
he  burn  in  ISOu,  now  a  retired  farmer,  living 
in  Missouri;  she  died  in  184:8.  William,  at 
the  age  of  ten  years,  was  taken  by  his  father 
to  Missouri,  where  he  received  an  ordinary 
education;  left  home,  and  for  a  time  followed 
freighting  on  the  plains  near  Salt  Lake.  In 
ISti-l,  he  came  to  this  county,  where  he  has 
since  lived,  engaged  in  farming,  and  the  hand- 
linff  and  raising  of  stock  of  all  kinds.  In  this 
county,  Aug.  7,  1871,  he  married  Nancy  Mc- 
Donald; born  in  this  county  Aug.  27, 1819; 
daughter  of  John  T.  and  Mary  A.  (Thomas) 
McDonald;  he,  born  July  2,  1813,  died  in 
1866;  she  died  Oct.  28,  1850.  From  this 
marriage  one  child  was  born,  on  Aug.  18, 
1880.  Mr.  Barkley  is  a  Democrat,  and  a 
member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  A.  O. 
U.  W. 

JAMES  CUNNINGHAM,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  was  born  May  10, 1825,  in  Scotland, 
of  which  country  his  parents  John  and  Ellen 
(Taylor)  Cunningham  were  natives.  John,  a 
millwright  and  farmer,  died  in  1838,  aged 
about  43  years;  his  wife  died  in  1833,  aged 
about  40  years;  they  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  third. 
James  received  an  ordinary  education  in  the 
schools  of  Scotland,  and  in  this  country,  where 
he  came  with  his  parents  when  eleven  years 
of  age.  He  began  life  as  a  farmer  in  this 
county,  and  ran  a  saw  and  grist  mill  for  a  few 
years,  one  mile  west  of  his  present  place  of 
residence.     In  this  county,  Oct.  1,  1856,  he 


married  Sarah  E.  Hopkins;  born  in  Indiana, 
Dec.  19,  1824;  daughter  of  Henry  and  Eliza- 
beth (Begg)  Hopkins;  he,  a  native  of  Dela- 
ware (deceased);  she,  still  living;  born  June 
15,  1797;  from  this  union  two  children  have 
been  born,  viz.:  Henry,  born  July  24,  1857, 
and  Dorotha  E.,  Oct.  16,  1858;  both  at 
homi>.  Mr.  Cunningham  was  formerly  a 
Whig,  but  is  now  a  Republican;  his  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church;  he  has 
been  Townsliip  Trustee  for  fifteen  years. 

JOHN  J.  HIGGINSON,  station  agent,  Phil- 
adelphia; was  born  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Feb. 
14,  1844,  and  is  the  next  to  the  youngest 
child  in  a  family  of  five;  he  received  a  com- 
mon-school education,  and  came  to  Illinois 
when  ten  years  of  age,  and  located  in  Cass 
County.  In  1878  he  went  to  merchandising 
at  Philadelphia,  where  he  continued  in  busi- 
ness until  1882,  when  he  accepted  a  position 
on  the  O.  &  M.  Railroad,  as  station  agent  at 
Philadelphia.  During  the  Rebellion  he  en- 
tered the  service  in  Co.  C,  3d  111.  Cav.,  with 
Capt.  Schellenberger,  under  command  of 
Col.  McCrellis,  and  remained  in  the  service 
three  years.  He  was  married  in  Cass  County, 
Dec.  25,  1879,  to  Miss  Ophelia  Flinn,  who 
was  born  in  November,  1860,  to  John  and 
Hannah  Flinn.  By  her  he  has  one  child, 
Everett.  Edward  Higginson,  the  father  of 
John,  was  born  in  Ireland;  was  a  weaver  by 
trade.  He  died  in  1854,  aged  about  sixty 
years.  His  wife,  Mary  Ellen  Taggert,  waa 
also  a  native  of  Ireland;  died  in  1853,  aged 
about  filty-seven  years.  Mr.  Higginson  has 
an  unsullied  reputation,  and  is  considered  a 
thorough  business  man.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Republican.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  (Church. 

JAMES  M.  HINCHEE,  merchant,  Phila- 
delphia; was  born  in  Sangamon  Co.,  III., 
March  11,  1843.  William  W.  Hinchee,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation,   was    born    in     Kentucky,   Feb.    22, 


PHILADELPHIA  PRECI.VCT. 


333 


1818;  and  died  Feb.  14,  1880;  his  wife, 
Margaret  Ray,  a  native  of  Sangamon  Coun- 
ty 111.,  is  still  living,  being  now  about 
sixty  years  of  age;  of  their  eight  children, 
our  subject  is  the  eldest.  James  M.  received 
an  ordinary  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  county,  and  on  the  breaking  out  of  the 
late  war,  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  33d  111.  Volunteer 
Infantry  Capt.  C.  E.  Lippincott  under  Col. 
C.  E.  Havey,  remaining  in  service  four  years 
and  three  months,  during  which  time  he  par- 
ticipated in  the  siege  of  Vicksbuig,  and  the 
battles  of  Raymond  and  Champion  Hill.  Af- 
ter leaving  the  army  he  engaged  in  farming; 
in  1870  engaged  in  bridge  building  in  con- 
nection with  farming,  and  in  1874  came  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  followed  carpentering 
till  July,  1881,  when  he  entered  the  mercan- 
tile business  in  partnership  with  J.  J.  Higgin- 
son,  whose  interest  he  bought  out  in  March, 
the  following  year,  and  has  since  conducted 
the  business  on  his  own  account.  In  Cass 
County,  111.,  Nov.  21,  1867,  he  married  Mary 
E.  Clark,  a  native  of  that  county,  born  Aug. 
29,  1846,  who  has  borne  him  six  children:  Ada 
v.,  Norval,  William  E.,  Alice,  Martha,  and  an 
infant  unnamed.  Mrs.  Hinchee  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  William  and  Elizabeth  (Warnack) 
Clark,  the  latter  deceased.  Mr.  Hinchee  is  a 
Republican. 

CHARLES  C.  ROBINSON,  deceased;  was 
born  in  Menard  County,  111.,  Nov.  25, 1834,  and 
died  Jan.  19, 1881.  He  was  the  second  child 
of  a  family  of  seven,  born  to  James  M.  and  Marj' 
(.Fay)  Robinson,  natives  of  New  York,  who 
came  West  in  1832,  and  were  early  settlers  of 
Menard  County,  111.  Our  subject  received  a 
common  school  education,  spent  several  years 
mining  in  California,  then  ran  a  mill  for  a  short 
time,  but  eventually  engaged  in  farming, 
which  occupation  he  followed  until  his  death. 


On  his  farm  he  raised  the  usual  crops,  and  also 
handled  stock  quite  extensively.  He  took  a 
deep  interest  in  all  things  tending  to  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  county.  Since 
his  death  the  farm  has  been  managed  by  Mrs. 
Robinson  and  her  children.  He  married,  in 
this  county,  Oct.  9,  1860,  to  Julia  Pathicary, 
born  Jan.  16,  1841.  From  this  union  nine 
children  have  been  born,  viz.:  Charles  .M., 
Mary,  Emma,  Thomas,  Addie,  Seth,  Jay,  Jean, 
and  Clara.  Mrs.  Robinson  is  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Thomas  and  Betsy  (Pierce)  Pathicary;  he, 
born  April  21,  1799,  died  July  21,  1878;  she, 
still  living,  born  July  24,  1806.  Dr.  Thomas 
Pathicary,  Mrs.  Robinson's  father,  was  a  native 
of  England,  and  came  to  Virginia,  this  county, 
July  4,  1832,  having  previously  spent  several 
years  in  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  Ken- 
tucky. He  kept  a  hotel  in  Virginia,  this 
county,  several  years,  and  then  engaged  in 
farming.  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  Republican, 
and  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  A.  O. 
U.W. 

WILLIAM  ROSS,  farmer,  P.  0.  Philadel- 
phia; was  born  in  Ireland,  Nov.  12,  1839;  son 
of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Bailey)  Ross,  na- 
tives of  Ireland;  he,  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
died  in  1839  ;  she,  in  1854.  William,  the 
youngest  of  a  family  of  six  children,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  parish  schools  of  Ireland,  and 
at  the  age  of  eighteen,  came  to  America. 
In  1855,  he  came  to  this  county,  where  he 
has  since  followed  farming.  In  Beardstown, 
this  county,  in  1864,  he  married  Maggie  AU- 
itt,  born  in  Ireland,  in  1842,  daughter  of  Joha 
and  Nancy  (Bailey)  Allitt,  natives  of  Ireland; 
he,  still  living;  she,  deceased.  From  this 
union  eight  children  have  been  born,  vTz.: 
Mary,  John,  Nancy,  William,  Walter,  Ethel, 
Nellie,  and  Royal.  Mr.  Ross  is  an  adherent 
of  the  Republican  party. 


340 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


MONROE    PRECINCT. 


RICHARD  L.  DAVIS,  fanner,  P.  O. 
Beardstown  ;  is  a  native  of  Kentucky; 
born  April  14,  1836  ;  son  of  James  B. 
and  Elizabeth  (Hawkins)  Davis,  natives  of 
Virginia,  parents  of  twelve  children,  Richard 
L.  being  the  seventh  child  of  the  family,  of 
whom  four  are  deceased.  His  education  was 
received  in  the  schools  of  Monroe  Precinct, 
and  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming. 
He  was  married  in  Arenzville  Precinct,  this 
county,  in  October  1854  to  Elizabeth  Buck, 
born  in  Tennessee,  Nov.  14,  1824,  who  bore 
him  thirteen  children:  Joseph,  Peter  (de- 
ceased), Stephen,  Mary  E.,  Jasper  J.  (de- 
ceased), Richard  (deceased),  Jane,  Sophia, 
Jacob,  Annie,  Andrew  J.,  Richard  and  Emma. 
Mrs.  Davis  was  a  daughter  of  Jasper  and 
Sophia  Buck;  her  father  was  born  in  North 
Carolina  in  1791,  and  died  March  1,  1841;  her 
mother,  also  born  in  North  Carolina,  in  1789, 
died  in  1867.  His  second  wife,  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Ellen  Morrison,  has 
borne  him  three  children,  two  of  whom  are 
deceased.  Mr.  Davis  has  filled  the  office  of 
School  Director.  He  is  a  supporter  of  the 
Democratic  party. 

GEO.  W.  DaViS,  farmer,  P.  O.  Virginia, 
■was  born  in  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county. 
May  11,  1834,  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Foster)  Davis;  he,  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1796;  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  died  in 
1857;  she,  born  in  Tennessee  in  1800  and 
still  living.  They  had  fourteen  children,  nine 
of  whom  are  yet  living.  Our  subject  was 
educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county, 
learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  but  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  all  his  life.  Sept. 
23,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Frances  V.  Ture- 
man,  daughter  of  Mr.  George  Tureman.   of 


this  county,  and  four  children  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  Davis:  Alma  E.;  Willis  T.,  who  is  in 
Washington  Territory;  Minnie  M.,  and  Hor- 
ace A.  Mr.  Davis  has  filled  the  positions  of 
School  Director  and  Road  Supervisor;  is  a 
Greenbacker,  a  Mason,  and  an  A.  O.  U.  W. 

ELIAS  DAVIS,  farmer,  P.O.  Virginia, 
is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  Beards- 
town,  Feb.  20,  1844;  son  of  Edward  and 
Juliann  (Davis)  Davis;  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky, he,  a  farmer  by  occupation;  born 
March  32,  1820;  she  born  Dec.  33,  181  '. 
Elias  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  three  are  deceased.  He 
received  a  fair  education  in  the  schools  of 
Monroe  and  Viriginia  Precincts,  and  has 
since  devoted  his  attention  to  farming.  He 
was  married  in  Virginia,  this  county,  Sept. 
17,  1867,  to  Melinda  J.,  daughter  of  Jarrett 
and  Margaret  Paschal;  from  this  marriage 
four  children  have  been  born,  Olive  G.  (de- 
ceased), Mark  R.,  Harris  E.,  and  Edith  A.;  Mr. 
Davis  is  a  Greenbacker;  he  is  a  member  of 
Virginia  Lodge,  A.  O.  U.  W. 

DAVID  DUPES,  Farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs;  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born 
April  29,  1813;  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Ralvant)  Dupes.  John  Dupes  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  in  1785,  and  died  in  1851;  his 
wife  was  born  in  1800,  and  died  in  1866;  they 
had  twelve  children,  David  being  the  fifth 
child;  four  are  deceased.  David  received 
his  education  in  his  native  State,  and  begun 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  has  since  pursued  that 
occupation.  In  Schuyler  County,  111.,  in  1843, 
he  married  Kate  Neithamer,  born  in  Dec, 
1828,  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
Neithamer,  and  from  this  union  eleven  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  Christian,  Mary  E.,  John 


MONROE  PRECINCT. 


341 


D.,  Jesse,  Daniel,  David,  Valentine,  George, 
Kate,  Harriet,  and  one  deceased,  unnamed. 
Mr.  Dupes  is  a  Democrat;  he  was  school  di- 
rector three  terms. 

CONRAD  FUNK,  farmer,  P.  0.  Bluff 
Springs,  is  a  native  of  Germany;  born  Dec.  "^6, 
1S3'2;  his  father  was  Conrad  Funk,  a  iintive  of 
German}-,  born  in  1S07,  and  died  on  the  ocean 
in  the  fall  of  1833,  and  liis  nuither's  name  was 
Catharine  Doll  before  her  marriage;  she  is 
still  living,  and  is  the  mother  of  three  chil- 
dren. Our  subject  was  reared  to  farming, 
and  has  followed  that  occupation  all  his 
working  days,  having  commenced  in  Cass 
County  when  a  boy.  He  has  also  done  some- 
thing at  auctioneering  and  dealing  in  stock. 
He  was  married  in  Beardstown,  July  38, 1857, 
to  Miss  Lucina  F.  Steiner,  who  was  born  in 
Texas  Dec.  5,  1839,  and  eight  children  have 
been  born  to  him:  Conrad,  (dead);  Henry  C, 
Louis  A.,  Rosa,  Mary,  George  E.,  Emma  and 
Frank,  (dead).  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

ISAIAH  E.  HUFFMAN,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Arenzville;  was  born  in  Woodford  County, 
Ky.,  Dec.  33,  1836,  son  of  Alexander  and  Mil- 
dred (Eddins)  Huffman,  both  natives  of  Virgi- 
nia; he,  born  Feb.  19,  1800,  and  she,  Sept.  17, 
1797;  he,  died  in  1873,  and  she  in  ISSQ;  they 
had  five  children;  he  was  a  carpenter  as  well  as 
a  farmer.  Our  subject  is,  also,  a  carpenter  as 
well  as  a  farmer,  and  has  done  considerable 
work  in  tiiat  line.  He  was  married  in  this 
precinct,  Nov.  18,  1856,  to  Sarah  F.  Miller, 
horn  in  this  county  May  17,  181:0,  daughter  of 
William C. and  Sirah  Miller;  he  is  a  Virginian, 
and  she  a  native  of  York  State.  Mr,  and 
Mrs.  Huffman  have  been  blessed  with  eight 
children:  Charles,  Sarah  E.,  Laura  M.,  Wil- 
liam, Lena  L..  Lydia,  Alexander  and  Joseph. 
He  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.  Lidge,  No.  33,  Beardstown. 

CHARLES  HUFFJIAN,  farmer  ;  P.  O. 
Virginia;   was  born    in  this  county,  Oct.  19, 


1857;  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  right  chil- 
dren born  to  Isaiah  and  Sarah  F.  (Miller) 
Huffman,  both  still  living.  Isaiah  Huffman 
is  a  farmer,  and  was  born  in  Woodford  County, 
Ky.,  Dec.  33,  1830;  his  wife,  and  mother  of 
subje't,  is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  May 
15,  18-1:0.  Subject,  after  receiving  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Springer  school-house,  Monroo 
Precinct,  engaged  in  farming,  which  occupa- 
tion he  still  follows.  He  was  married  in 
Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  Dec.  35,  1879, 
to  Lj'dia  A.  McClure,  a  native  of  that  pre- 
cinct, born  May  33,  1800,  daughter  of  .fohn 
W.  and  Harriet  McClure;  he,  born  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  June  11,  1834,  died  Sept.  3,  1868; 
she,  born  in  Charlestown,  W.  Va.,  Feb.  36, 
1834.  Mr.  Huff;Tian  is  an  adherent  of  the 
Democratic  party. 

A.  L.  HAGERMAN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs,  is  a  native  of  this  county,  bom  in 
Monroe  Precinct  in  1857;  son  of  Isaac  and 
Susan  (Leschy)  Hagerman;  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania; he,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  born 
in  1809,  died  in  Monroe  Precinct  in  1873; 
she,  born  in  1813,  is  still  living;  of  their 
eight  children,  A.  L.  is  the  seventh  child. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  precinct,  and  has  since  follow- 
ed farming.  He  is  a  Republican.  Two  of 
Mr.  Hagerman's  brothers,  William  and  Man- 
iel,  served  in  the   army  during  the  late  ware 

DANIEL  LAHMAN,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs,  is  a  native  of  Franklin  County, 
Pa.;  born  Oct.  11,  1833;  son  of  John  and 
Catharine  B.  (Everly)  Lahman.  .lohn  Lah- 
man,  subject's  father,  was  born  in  Frank- 
lin County,  Pa.,  Aug.  24,  1788,  came  to 
this  county  July  13,  1843,  where  he  followed 
farming,  and  died  Jan.  24,  1854;  his  wife, 
who  was  a  native  of  Adams  County,  Pa.,  born 
in  1794,  died  in  Warren  County,  111.,  in  Au- 
gust, 1860;  of  their  fourteen  children,  twelve 
lived  to  maturity.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
attended  school  in   Pennsylvania  and  Ohio, 


342 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


and  began  life  as  a  fanner,  and  still  follows 
that  occupation.  He  has  been  twice  raarriud, 
first,  in  Beardstown,  this  county,  B^eb.  1 ; 
1847,  to  Highly  Carver;  born  in  Ohio  Jan.  13, 
180G;  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Car- 
ver; she  died  leaving  one  child,  John  W. 
His  second  wife  is  Sitha  Morris,  a  native  of 
Barren  County,  Ky.,  born  Jan.  28,  1833;  she 
is  a  daughter  of  Abijah  and  Elizabeth  Morris. 
Mr.  Lahman  has  been  school  director  and 
road  supervisor;  he  is  a  Democrat  and  a 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church. 

ANN  MARY  McHENRY,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Virginia;  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Pa.,  April  S,  1834;  daughter  of  James  and 
Nancy  (Clark)  McHenry;  he  was  born  in 
Washington  County,  Pa.,  July  12,  1801,  and 
she  in  Ohio  County,  Va.,  Jan.  23,  1806;  he 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  died  in 
Monroe  Precinct,  Feb.  14,  1867;  she  died 
Jan.  1,  1866;  they  were  the  parents  of  six 
children,  five  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  our 
subject,  Miss  Ann  Mary,  being  the  eldest. 
She  received  a  very  good  education,  and 
taught  in  the  Springer  School,  when  she  was 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  Miss  McHenry  is 
a  lady  who  is  highly  respected  for  her  many 
excellent  qualities,  and  has  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 

WILLIAM  E.  McCLURE,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in 
Monroe  Precinct,  March  13, 1856;  son  of  John 
W.  and  Harriet  (Barger)  McClure.  John  W. 
McCIure,  our  subject's  father,  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation, was  born  in  Ohio,  June  11,  1821, 
and  died  Sept.  3,  1868;  his  wife,  who  is  still 
living,  was  born  in  Charlestown,  W.  Va., 
Feb.  26,  1824;  they  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children.  Subject  received  a  fundamental 
education  in  the  schools  of  Monroe  Precinct, 
and  finished  at  Lincoln  University,  Logan 
Co.,  111.  He  began  the  business  of  life  as  a 
farmer,  and   has  since  pursued   that  occupa- 


tion.      Mr.    McCkue    is  a  supporter   of  the 
Republican  party. 

WILLIAM  is'ISBET,  farmer;  P.  O.  Vir- 
ginia, was  born  in  Ohio,  May  24,  1807  ;  son 
of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Denny)  Nisbet, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania;  he,  a  merchant  and 
farmer,  born  Dec.  25,  1772,  died  in  Ohio, 
Aug.  28,  1819;  she,  born  May  26,  1782,  died 
May  9,  1864.  Of  their  nine  children  but  two 
are  living.  Subject  received  a  fair  education 
in  Ohio,  and  engaged  in  farming,  which  pur- 
suit he  still  follows.  Mr.  Nisbet  has  been 
married  three  times :  first,  in  this  county, 
Aug.  12,  1841,  to  Patience  Clark,  daughter 
of  William  and  Margaret  Clark.  She  was 
born  April  27,  1818,  and  died  June  23,  1812. 
His  second  wife,  whom  he  married  in  Me- 
Donough  Co.,  III.,  Sept.  18,  1843,  was  .lane 
Rice,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Rice.  She  was 
born  in  Green  Co.,  Ky.,  Nov.  11,  1817,  and 
died  Aug.  4,  1848.  His  third  wife,  whom  he 
married  in  this  county,  Jan.  25,  1860,  is  Eliza 
Massey,  born  in  Brown  Co.,  111.,  .Fan.  13,  1836, 
daughter  of  Henderson  and  Martha  Massev. 
There  were  no  children  by  the  first  two  mar- 
riages, but  by  the  third  marriage  eight  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  of  whom  seven  are 
living,  viz.:  Chalmers,  Walter,  John,  Newell, 
Bethune,  George  and  Mary.  Mr.  Nisbet  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

HENRY  C.  PRATT,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Vir- 
ginia, was  born  in  Virginia,  this- county,  June 
18,  1845;  son  of  John  W.  and  Emily  (Sav- 
age) Pratt.  John  W.  Pratt  was  born  in  In- 
diana, Dec.  3,  18  6;  he  was  by  profession  a 
lawyer,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  Oct.  7,  1847,  was  the  representative 
of  Cass  County  in  the  Legislature;  he  was 
the  first  County  Clerk  of  this  county.  His 
wife,  a  native  of  Onondaga  County  N.  Y.,  born 
Oct.  30,  1817  died  Dec.  17,  1871;  they  were 
the  parents  of  five  children.  Henry  C,  re- 
ceived a  fair  education  in  the  schools  of 
this  precinct,  and  has  since  followed  farming. 


MONROE  PRECINCT. 


343 


When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in 
Company  G.,  -i-lth  Illinois,  and  served  four 
years.  In  Virginia,  this  county,  Oct.  27, 
1870,  he  married  Catharine  Kroell,  born  in 
this  precinct,  Jan.  1,  1848,  daughter  of  Chris- 
tian and  Annie  C.  Kroell,  natives  of  Ger- 
many; he,  born  Dec.  31,  1820;  she,  born  Nov. 
30,  1815.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pratt  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children:  Harry  E.,  Christina  A. 
and  John  G.;  they  belong  to  the  M.  E. 
Church. 

JAMES  V.  RAWLINGS,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  was  born  in  Cecil  County,  Md., 
Aug.  29,  1836;  fourth  child  of  a  family 
of  nine,  born  to  Greenbury  and  Eliza- 
beth (Dobler)  Rawlings.  Greenbury  Raw- 
lings,  who  was  a  farmer,  and  also  a  hatter,  was 
born  in  Cecil  County,  Md.,  Aug.  19,  180^ 
and  died  in  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county, 
Sept.  3-f,  1864;  his  wife  and  mother  of  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Jan.  29, 
18  )8;  of  their  nine  children  two  are  deceased. 
Subject  attended  school  in  Pennsylvania,  af- 
terward at  Beardstown  and  the  Springer 
School.  He  began  the  business  of  life  as  a 
farmer,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  that 
occupation.  In  Virginia,  this  county,  October 
30,  18G5,  he  married  Anna  E.  Price,  born  in 
Morgan  County,  111.,  Jan.  5,  18 13,  who  has 
borne  him  three  children,  viz.:  Rosa  F.,  born 
Nov.  17,  18(J6;  Greenbury  A.,  born  Oct.  5, 
1868;  and  James  W.,  born  July  31,  1871. 
Mrs.  Rawlings  is  a  daughter  of  Adam  and 
Susan  Price,  natives  of  the  State  of  Virginia; 
he,  born  in  180-1,  died  in  February,  1875;  she, 
born  in  1813,  died  Sept.  27,  1880.  Mr. 
Rawlings  is  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W. 

HENRY  SCHAEFFER,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Montgomery  County,  O.,  June  28, 1812; 
son  of  John  and  Christina  (Ream)  Schaeffer, 
who  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children. 
John  Schaeffer  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  under  General 


Hull.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in 
his  native  State,  and  began  working  at  the 
carpenter's  trade,  afterward  engaging  in 
farming.  In  Sangamon  County,  Ills.,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1836,  he  married  Sophia  B.irgiT,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  born  April  12,  1817,  who 
bore  him  eight  children:  John  M.,  Francis  M., 
Mary  E.  (deceased),  Elizsv  J.,  W.  Franklin, 
James  A.,  Theodore  II.  (deceased),  and  Lucin- 
da  A.  Mrs.  Schaeffer's  parents,  Adam  and 
Lucinda  Barger,  were  natives  of  Virginia;  her 
father  died  in  the  summer  of  1865;  her  mother 
born  in  1795,  died  in  1853.  Mr.  Schaeffer 
was  a  school  director  for  some  time;  he  was  a 
Democrat;  the  family  are  members  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian   Church. 

CHARLES  R.  SAVAGE,  farmer;  P.  C, 
Bluff  Springs;  is  a  native  of  this  county;  born 
April  27,  1838;  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Smith)  Savage,  natives  of  New  York  State. 
John  Savage — subject's  father — a  farmer  by 
occupation,  was  born  in  Herkimer  County, 
N.Y.,  Nov.  8,  1793,  and  died  Dec.  14,  1862; 
his  wife  was  born  Dec.  11,  1798,  died  Jan.  13, 
1875;  she  was  the  mother  of  seven  children. 
Subject  attended  school  in  Monroe  Precinct, 
afterward  finishing  at  the  Illinois  College, 
Jacksonville,  111.,  and  has  ever  since  followed 
farming.  He  was  married  in  this  county 
Nov.  13,  186G,  to  Sarah  E.  Springer,  a  native 
of  this  county,  born  Nov.  21,  1843,  daughter 
of  Job  and  Elizabeth  Springer;  from  this 
union  six  children  have  been  born,  viz.: 
Henrietta,  George,  Mary  E.,  Henry  S.,  Edwin 
G.  and  James  G.  Mr.  Savage  has  been  Road 
Supervisor  and  School  Director;  he  is  a  Re- 
publican; a  member  of  Virginia  Lodge  No. 
544,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  of  Arcadia  Lodge 
I.  O.  O.  F.;  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E. 
Church. 

HARVEY  SPRINGER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  was  born  in  Uniontown,  Fayette 
County,  Penn.,  March  9,  1808;  son  of  Zadok 
and     Eleanor     (Mclntyre)    Springer;     he,   a 


S44 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


farmer,  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1775,  and  dy- 
ing in  1850;  she,  born  in  1777,  and  dying  in 
1855.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren. Our  subject,  in  addition  to  the  com- 
mon schools,  attended  the  Academy  in  Union - 
town,  Pa.,  and  afterward  worked  in  Iron 
Works  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  but  has  spent 
most  of  his  life  in  farming.  In  1833,  in  Fay- 
ette County,  he  married  Miss  Fanny  Gray, 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1810,  daughter  of 
John  and  Hannah  Gray,  and  eight  children 
have  been  the  result  of  the  union:  Thaddeus, 
Morgan,  G:'orge,  Eveline,  Albina  J.,  Emma, 
Ellen,  and  Alice.     He  is  a  Democrat. 

ABNERSCHAEFFER,  farmer,  P.O.  Arenz- 
ville;  was  born  near  the  old  town  of  Monroe, 
in  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  Feb.  7,  1848; 
son  of  Henry  and  Sophia  (Barger)  Schaeffer; 
he  a  native  of  Ohio — a  carpenter  and  farmer — 
died  in  1863;  she,  still  living.  They  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children.  Subject  began 
life  as  a  farmer  in  Monroe  precinct,  where  he 
received  his  education  and  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
married  in  Beardstown,  this  county,  Nov.  35, 
1874,  Eliza  Ruff,  born  in  Ohio,  April  13, 1843, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  Ruff.  From 
this  union  they  have  one  child,  Harry  H.  Mr. 
Schaeffer  is  a  Republican. 

JONATHAN  D.  SPRINGER,  farmer;  P. 
O.  Arenzville;  was  born  in  Monroe,  this  count}', 
Nov.  29,  1854;  son  of  Job  and  Elizabeth 
(Boyle)  Springer;  he,  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
died  April  14,  1883;  she,  still  living,  is  ,  the 
mother  of  eight  children,  two  by  her  first  hus- 
band, Jacob  Springer,  and  six  by  her  second 
iiusbaiid.  Mr.  Springer  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Old  Springer  school-house,  in 
Monroe  Precinct,  and  has  always  been  a  farmer. 
In  Arenzville  Precinct,  this  county,  Dec. 
30,  1877,  he  married  Mnry  F.  Beard,  a  native 
of  Virginia,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Beard; 
and  by  this  union  two  children  have  been 
born.     He    has    been    School    Director;    is    a 


member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  a  Republi- 
can. 

HENRY  STOCK,  farmer  (deceased);  was 
a  native  of  Darmstadt,  Germany;  born  April 
5,  1801,  and  was  the  second  child  of  a  family 
of  six  children.  His  father,  also  a  native  of 
Germany,  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer. 
Mr.  Stock  began  life  as  a  farmer,  which  occu- 
pation he  afterward  followed.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  Virginia,  this  county,  Nov.  18,  1840' 
to  Elizabeth  Singer,  a  native  of  Darmstadt 
Germany,  born  Dec.  20,  1813,  who  bore  him 
five  children:  Henry  (deceased),  Henry  (de- 
ceased), Eliza,  Christ,  and  Philip.  Mr.  Stock 
was  a  member  of  the  Hungarian  Church;  he 
was  a  Democrat. 

JOHN  H.  TUREMAN,of  Monroe  Precinct, 
son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Harbold)  Ture- 
man,  was  born  November  6, 1838,  on  the  Ture- 
man  homestead,  Cass  County.  Of  our  sub- 
ject, as  a  citizen  and  an  agriculturist,  the 
people  of  Cass  County  need  little  information. 
His  thrift,  energy  and  enterprise,  duly  accounts 
for  the  success  he  has  thus  far  attained  in 
life,  and  they  may  well  look  to  hira  as  an  ex- 
ample of  the  opportunities  their  county  affords 
to  an  industrous,  frugal  and  legitimate  tiller 
of  the  soil.  Mr.  Tureman  is  one  of  the  oldest 
native  born  citizens  of  Cass  County.  His 
mother  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  his 
father  a  native  of  old  Virginia,  and  both  came 
to  Kentucky  with  their  parents  early  in  life. 
The  Harbolds  settled  about  seven  miles  from 
Louisville,  and  the  Turemins  in  that  vicinity. 
It  was  here  that  their  m.irriage  took  place, 
and  in  the  year  1830  they  settled  on  White 
River,  in  Indiana.  There  they  remained  until 
1827,  when  they  removed  to  Cass  County, 
bought  an  improvement,  and  settled  the  pres- 
ent Tureman  homestead,  the  home  of  our 
subject.  Their  first  purchase  was  80  acres, 
and  to  this,  he  from  time  to  time  added,  until 
he  had  acquired  in  all  about  600  acres.  George 
Tureman   was    known  as  a  man  of  untirina 


MONROE  PRECIXCT. 


?45 


perseverance,  progressive  and  temperate  in 
his  habits,  independent  in  his  methods  and 
views,  social  in  his  nature,  and  shared  the 
friendship  and  entire  confidence  of  his  pioneer 
acquaintances.  They  raised  a  family  of  twelve 
children,  all  of  them  are  married  and  raised 
families,  except  David,  the  oldest,  and  Tracy, 
who  died  of  consumption  at  18  years  of  age. 
Eliza  married  William  Carr,  and  settled 
with  her  husband  near  Rock  Island,  this  State, 
where  she  died  in  1838.  Ann  married  James 
Cook,  of  Cass  County,  and  are  now  both  de- 
ceased. David  was  the  next,  and  then  George. 
Leonard  married  Mary  Schaffer.  Catharine 
married  William  Patterson,  and  lives  in  Jack- 
sonville. Arsanolne  and  her  husband,  Cabal 
Paterson,  moved  to  Oregon,  where  she  died 
23  years  since.  Our  subject  is  the  next. 
Mary  E.  married  James  Alison,  William  went 
to  Oregon,  Tracy  died  of  consumption  at 
18  years  of  age,  Virginia  married  George 
Davis,  and  lives  in  Morgan  County.  Mr. 
Tureman  died  of  cholera,  in  June,  1835,  in 
the  fifty-second  year  of  his  age;  Mrs.  Ture- 
man, his  devoted  wife,  survived  until  1SG9, 
and  departed  at  80  years  of  age.  John  H., 
our  subject,  was  married  December  12,  1850, 
to  Miss  Mary  J.  Davis,  daughter  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  (Foster)  Davis,  who  came  from  Ken- 
tucky to  Sangamon  County  as  early  as  1824. 
They  first  located  on  an  improvraent,  built  a 
substantial  log  cabin,  and  planted  about  15 
acres  of  corn,  but  were  soon,  by  fraudulent 
means,  totally  deprived  of  their  home,  and 
they  then  removed  to  Cass  County.  James 
Davis  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  his 
father,  also  James,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war 
of  1812,  and  died  in  the  service.  Mrs.  Ture- 
man is  the  fifth  child  or  third  daughter  of  the 
family,  and  was  born  November  24, 1830.  They 
have  had  three  children.  Alice,  who  died  an 
infant,  April  1,  1852,  Frances  Parthenia,  now 
Mrs.  Hugh  W.  Harrison  of  Belleville,  Saint 
Clair   Co.,    Illinois,    and   John   F.,    at    home. 


David  Cook,  an  orphan,  has  been  considered 
a  member  of  the  family  for  about  six  years. 
Mr.  Tureman's  private  estate  comprises  320 
acres  in  his  homestead  and  400  acres  in  Lo- 
gan County,  this  State.  Mrs.  Tureraan  is  a 
member  of  the  Shiloh  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  Mr.  Tureman  is  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  of  Virginia.  A  full 
page  portrait  of  our  subject  appears  else- 
where in  this  work. 

GEORGE  A.  TREADWAY,  farmer  (de- 
ceased); was  born  May  11,  1812;  son  of  Ed- 
ward and  Elizabeth  (Anderson)  Treadway;  he, 
born  Dec.  15,  1784,  died  Jan.  23,  1859;  she, 
born  May  8,  1789,  died  Dec.  11,  1831.  Sub- 
ject received  his  education  in  Kentucky,  and 
engaged  in  farming,  which  occupation  he 
followed  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Aug. 

27,  1877.     He   married   in  this   county    May 

28,  1835,  Elizabeth  Miller  a  native  of  Bote- 
tourt Co.,  Va.,  born  Jan.  20,  1814,  who  bore 
him  ten  children,  viz.:  George  E.,  Mary  E., 
Marion  F.,  John  P.  (deceased),  William  H. 
(deceased),  Hester  A.,  Sarah  Jane,  Charles 
L.,  Lucinda  F.  E.,  and  Stephen  A.  Mr. 
Treadway  was  a  local  preacher  of  the  Union 
Baptist  Church,  filled  the  office  of  School 
Director  for  some  time;  he  was  a  Democrat. 
Mrs.  Treadway  is  a  daughter  of  George  F. 
and  Elizabeth  Miller;  he,  born  July  10,  1774, 
died  July  19, 1839;  she,  a  native  of  Virginia, 
born  in  1771,  died  April  27,  1803. 

LUDWIG  WILDT,  farmer;  P.  O.  Bluff 
Springs;  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  Germany; 
born  Nov.  24,  1832;  tenth  child  of  a  family 
of  eleven  children  born  to  Frederick  and 
Dorothea  (Strutzenberg)  Wildt,  both  natives 
of  Hanover,  Germany.  Sultject  received  his 
education  in  his  native  land,  and  has  always 
been  a  farmer;  his  father  also  was  a  farmer. 
In  Monroe  Precinct,  this  county,  July  22, 
1862,  he  married  Augusta  Govert,  born  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  Aug.  8,  1840,  who  has  borne  him 
nine  children,  viz.:  Anna,  Louisa  (deceased), 


346 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Henry,  Wilhelin,  Caroline,  Albert,  Dorothy 
(deceased),  Emily  and  George.  Mrs.  Wildt 
is  a  daughter  of  Herman  and  Anna  Govert, 
natives  of  Hanover,  Germany;  the  latter  born 
May  1-1,  1830.  Mr.  Wildt  is  a  Republican: 
has  been  school  director;  is  a  member  of  the 
M.  E.  Church. 

CORNELIUS  C.  WOODWARD,  farmer; 
P.  O.  Virginia;  was  born  in  Virginia,  this 
county,  Sept.  9,  1844,  son  of  Amos  and 
Mary  (McHenry)  Woodward.  Amos  Wood- 
ward, who  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1814,  and   died  Jan. 


15,  1855;  his  widow,  who  is  still  living,  is  a 
native  of  Virginia,  born  July  18,  1817; 
Cornelius  is  the  eldest  of  their  family  of 
six  children,  of  whom  three  are  deceased. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of 
Virginia,  this  county,  and  began  farming,  in 
which  occupation  he  is  still  engaged.  He 
enlisted  in  the  Fifty-Ninth  Illinois  Regiment, 
and  served  in  the  last  year  of  the  late  war 
under  Gen.  Thomas.  Mr.  Woodward  is  a 
Democrat,  and  has  filled  the  office  of  School 
Director. 


OREGON  PRECINCT. 


347 


OREGON    PRECINCT. 


JOSEPH  ALLISON,  farmer;  P.O.  Vir- 
ginia; was  born  in  Tuscarawas  Co.,  Ohio,  Oct. 
17,  1828.  Came  to  Cass  County  in  1842, 
■witii  his  parents,  who  were  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county.  Joseph  Allison,  sub- 
ject's father,  supposed  to  have  been  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
and  died  in  February,  18G1,  aged  09  years. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth  Spawn,  also  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  was  born  about  ITnO,  and  died 
seventeen  days  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band. She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children, 
of  whom  subject  was  the  seventh  child.  At 
23  years  of  age  he  purchased  the  homestead 
farm.  He  was  married  in  this  county  Dec. 
26,  18-19,  to  Miss  Martha  H.  Crews,  who  was 
born  in  Barren  Co.,  Kentucky,  Dec.  8,  1831. 
She  died  March  17,  1851,  leaving  one  child, 
viz.:  John  Wesley  H.,  born  March  3,  1851. 
Mrs.  Allison  was  a  daughter  of  Jesse  and 
Susan  Crews,  of  this  county.  Mr.  Allison 
was  married  again  Feb.  22,  1852,  to  Miss 
Cecilia  A.  Logue,  born  in  Warren  Co.,  Tenn., 
April  30,  1829,  to  Oliver  and  Rebecca  (Cole) 
Logue,  7iatives  of  Tennessee,  deceased,  she 
still  living.  From  this  marriage  three  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  viz.:  James  Edwin, 
born  May  30,  1858;  Arthur,  born  Aug.  11, 
1806,  and  Elizabeth  (deceased),  born  June  1, 
1854,  died  Dec.  30,  1854.  The  oldest  child, 
John,  is  in  Iowa  ;  the  others  are  living  at 
home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  AUinson  are  connected 
with  the  M.  E.  Church;  he  is  a  Republican, 
has  been  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  has  held  several  of  the  minor  town- 
ship offices. 

HARRISON  W.  BOWERS,  farmer,  P.  O., 
Virginia;  was  born  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  Nov.  15, 
1837;  son  of  Reuben  D.  and  Eliza  (Whitney) 


Bowers;  he, a  farmer,  died  Oct.  23, 1878,  aged 
about  70  years;  she  died  April  27,  1839,  aged 
27  years.  Subject  at  two  years  old  was  placed 
in  his  uncle's  care,  in  Vermont,  his  mother  hav- 
ing died  soon  after  his  birth.  He  assisted  his 
uncle  in  farming  until  his  fourteenth  year, 
when  he  came  to  Monroe  County,  Ills.,  hav- 
ing: little  or  no  means.  He  followed  teaminsj 
five  years;  came  to  this  county  in  1859,  and 
hired  as  a  farm  hand,  and  after  having  earned 
the  means,  bouglit  forty  acres  of  unimproved 
land,  upon  which  he  built  a  house  and  barn, 
and  made  other  improvements;  two  years 
after  he  sold  that  place  and  purchased  forty 
acres  which  he  still  owns,  and  to  which  he  has 
idded  from  time  to  time,  till  he  now  owns  140 
acres  of  choice  farm  land,  well  cultivated,  on 
which  he  has  erected  a  fine  farm  residence, 
and  has  made  all  the  improvements  necessiry 
to  convenience  and  comfort.  He  raises  the 
usual  farm  crops,  and  also  handles  stock  in  a 
small  way.  In  1857,  he  married  Elizibeth 
Morgan,  who  died  one  year  after.  September 
24,  1861,  he  married  Mrs.  Therza  Deardoff, 
born  at  Quincy,  Ills.,  Jan  28,  1838;  from  this 
second  marriage  he  has  one  child,  Reuben, 
born  July  10,  1802.  Mrs  Bowers'  first  hus- 
band, Paul  Deardofi",  was  a  farmer;  was  born 
Dec.  3,  1830,  and  died  April  3,  1861,  leaving 
two  children,  viz.:  Charles,  born  April  3, 1861, 
and  Martha,  born  March  17,  1859.  Mr.  Bowe  s 
served  nine  months  in  Co.  A,  10th  Illinois 
Infantry,  under  Capt.  Henry  McGr..ff,  Col. 
Titson,  commanding  the  regiment.  He  is  a 
Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  A.  O.  U.  W.;  himself  and  wife  are 
Methodists. 

ROBERT  P.  BELL,  farmer;  P.  O.,  Chan- 
dlerviUe;     was     born     in     Pulaski     County, 


^48 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Virginia,  Mirch  6,  1839,  sixth  child  of  a 
family  of  twelve,  born  to  John  and  Mary 
(Vinyard)  Bell,  natives  of  Virginia.  He,  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  died  in  1839,  aged 
about  fifty-five  years;  she  died  in  18S0,  aged 
seventy-seven  years.  Subject,  after  receiv- 
ing such  an  education  as  the  common  schools 
of  that  day  afforded,  began  life  as  a  farmer. 
He  came  to  this  county  in  1850,  and  to  his 
present  place  of  residence  in  1800,  where  he 
has  since  followed  farming,  putting  all  the 
improvements  on  his  place  himself.  He  has 
been  twice  married;  first,  in  Virginia,  in  1858, 
to  Margaret  S.  Martin,  a  native  of  that  State; 
died  in  18G2;  four  children  were  born  from 
this  marriage,  viz.:  Charles,  Eliza,  John,  and 
one  died  in  infancy.  In  1865  he  married 
Jemima  Palmer,  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  in 
1849,  who  has  borne  him  nine  children,  seven 
of  whom  are  living,  viz.:  Mary,  Melissa,  Al- 
bert, William,  Milton,  Riley  and  Winnie. 
Mr.  Bell  is  a  supporter  of  the  Democratic 
party. 

ELIJAH  CARVER,  farmer;  P.  O.Virginia; 
was  born  in  Madison  County,  Ky.,  Dec.  11, 
1805.  When  31  years  old  he  engaged  as  over- 
seer upon  a  large  plantation;  farmed  in  Mis- 
souri two  years;  in  1833  came  to  Illinois  and 
located  at  Walnut  Grove,  this  county,  and  two 
years  later  moved  to  his  present  place,  which 
has  been  his  home  for  forty-eight  years,  and 
where  he  has  been  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing. He  was  married  Jan.  15,  1>38,  to  Miss 
Sophia  Haff,  who  was  born  Nov.  30,  1811,  and 
died  Feb.  4,  1866,  leaving  four  children,  viz.: 
Fletcher  T.  (see  Hist.)  Harrison,  of  this  coun- 
ty; Mary  E.,  wife  of  Charles  B.  Hopkins,  of 
Kansas;  and  Charles,  also  in  Kansas.  Mr.  Car- 
ver again  married  in  this  county,  Jan.  1,1867, 
to  Mary  E.  Boatman;  born  in  Madison  Coun- 
ty, Ky.,  March  17,  1846,  who  has  borne  him 
3  children,  viz.:  Ida  May,  born  April  13, 186S; 
Elijah,  born  June  13, 1869;  Estella,  born  Nov. 
18,  1873.     Mrs.  Carver  is  a  daughter  of  Nel- 


son and  Elizabeth  (Todd)  Boatman,  natives 
of  Kentucky,  still  living  at  Philadelphia,  this 
county.  Mr.  Carver's  father,  William  Car- 
ver, a  farmer,  was  born  in  Virginia,  in  1760, 
and  died  April  19,  1837.  His  wife,  Mary 
Duncan,  born  about  1768,  died  about  1817. 
They  had  nine  children,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject is  the  fifth  child.  He  was  originally 
an  old  line  Whig,  but  is  now  a  Republican; 
himself  and  vvife  are  connected  with  the 
Methodist  Church. 

JOHN  CUNNINGHAM,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Newmansville;  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  born 
Dec.  3,  1830;  sixth  child  of  James  Cunning- 
ham (see  history).  Subject  came  to  this 
country  with  his  parents  in  July,  1836,  where 
he  received  but  a  limited  education  in  the 
common  schools.  He  worked  for  some  tima 
in  a  tan-yard,  and  on  attaining  his  majority, 
engaged  in  farming,  which  he  has  since  fol- 
lowed; he  owns  160  acres  of  land,  and  in  ad- 
dition to  the  usual  crops,  raises  considerable 
cattle.  He  married,  Dec.  13,  1865,  Margaret 
J.  Allen,  a  Canadian  by  birth,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Margaret  (Kennedy)  Allen;  he,  a 
native  of  Canada  (deceased);  she,  a  native  of 
Scotland,  still  living;  from  this  union  they 
have  had  three  children;  Margaret  J.,  David 
K.  and  Ethel  R.  Mr.  Cunningham  has  been 
School  Director  and  Township  Trustee;  he  is 
a  strong  advocate  of  temperance;  be  is  a 
Republican;  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

F.  T.  CARVER,  farmer;  P.  O.  Philadel- 
phia; was  born  in  Mercer  Count}',  Ky.,  Oct.  6, 
1838;  eldest  child  of  a  family  of  six,  born  to 
Elijah  and  Sophia  (HafF)  Carver,  natives  of 
Kentucky;  he,  still  living;  she,  deceased. 
When  three  years  old  our  subject  was  taken 
to  Missouri  by  his  parents,  and  three  years 
after  came  to  this  county,  where  he  has  since 
resided;  he  left  home  when  31  years  old,  and 
has  since  been  engaged  in  farming  on  his 
own   account.      In   this  county  May   14,  he 


OREGON  PREC'IXCT. 


349 


married  Sarah  D.  Howard,  born  in  Fulton 
County,  May  15,  183"2,  daughter  of  John  C. 
and  Anna  (Cadwelder)  Howard,  natives  of 
Ohio,  and  both  deceased;  from  this  union 
seven  children  have  been  born,  viz.:  Elijah 
H.,  Mary  E.,  wife  of  John  W.  Fell,  of  Jack- 
sonville, 111.;  Anna  N.,  Helen,  William, 
Dally  and  Elmer  R.  Mr.  Carver  is  a  staunch 
Republican;  has  been  School  Director;  he  is 
a  Methodist. 

WILLIAM  S.  GARNER,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  was  born  in  this  county,  Dec.  IG, 
1837  (for  parents,  see  sketch  of  G.  Garner). 
Subject  received  his  education  in  the  common 
school,  and  remained  with  his  father  until  the 
death  of  the  latter;  then  began  farming  on 
his  own  account,  and  has  now  a  farm  of  1"?0 
acres,  on  which  he  built  a  fine  house  in  1877. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  M.  E.  Church 
in  1876  and  has  since  been  a  local  preacher. 
In  this  county,  Sept.  30,  1858,  he  married 
Nancy  M.  Crews,  born  in  Sangamon  County, 
Ills.,  Oct.  7,  1837,  daughter  of  Jesse  and 
Susan  Crews,  natives  of  Kentucky;  he  died 
in  1878;  she,  still  living;  from  this  union 
eight  children  have  been  born,  viz.:  Hanson 
A.,  Nellie,  James  H.,  L.  E.,  Jessie,  Bell,  Ger- 
ie  and  Pearl.  The  first  ploughing  that  Mr. 
Garner  saw  done,  was  with  a  wooden  mold- 
board,  and  he  was  quite  a  large  boy  before  he 
saw  a  team  driven  with  lines;  he  saw  the 
first  threshing  machine  in  this  county,  which 
was  brought  here  by  a  Mr.  Yaples.  Mr.  Gar- 
ner is  a  Methodist;  has  been  an  Odd  Fellow; 
he  is  a  Republican. 

REV.  JAMES  R.  GARNER,  minister  and 
farmer;  P.  O.  Berryton;  was  born  in  Indiana, 
May  30,  1830;  has  been  a  resident  of  this 
county  over  fifty-one  years,  having  come  here 
when  the  county  was  in  its  infancj',  and  has 
endured  all  the  trials  and  hardships  of  a  pio- 
neer's life;  he  has  followed  farming  all  his 
life;  has  preached  the  gospel  for  twenty 
years,  and,  during    that   time,    has    married 


about  sixty  couples.  In  this  county,  in  1850, 
he  was  married  to  Margaret  Wilson,  a  native 
of  Ohio;  born  Feb.  28, 1834,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  May  (Allison)  Wilson;  from  this 
union  they  have  been  blessed  with  nine  chil- 
dren, viz.:  Mary  W.,  Sarah,  Charles  R.,  Cyn- 
thia, S.  G.,  James  W.,  Joseph,  Theodore  and 
Renty.  Mr.  Garner  is  a  Methodist,  and  is  a 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party. 

F.  U.  ISHAM,  farmer;  P.  O.  Ashland, 
was  born  in  Warren  County,  Tenn.,  March 
9,  lS2'i.  When  nine  years  of  age  he  was 
brought  to  this  county  by  his  parents,  who  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  The 
place  where  they  settled  is  owned  by  Joseph 
Whitenack.  Subject,  in  1864,  purchased  the 
place  upon  which  he  now  resides.  He  was  mar- 
ried .Tan.  27,  1847,  to  Mary  Clancy,  born  in 
Pike  County,  March  28, 18:8;  who  has  borne 
him  seven  children,  viz.:  Nancy  L.,  died  in  her 
died  in  her  fourteenth  year;  Wilburn  A. 
died  in  January  1882;  William  M.,  died  when 
16  years  of  age;  Marinda,  wife  of  John  Spen- 
cer, of  Springfield;  John  T.,  at  home;  Ophelia 
wife  of  Andrew  Brown,  of  this  county,  and 
Lola  E.,  wife  of  Nolton  Garner.  Mrs.  Isham 
is  a  daughter  of  Hiram  Clancy,  an  early  set- 
tler of  this  county;  he  and  his  wife,  Lucinda 
Thacker,  both  deceased.  James  Isham,  sub- 
ject's father,  was  born  in  Virginia,  in  1793; 
was  a  farmer,  and  died  March  20,  1847. 
His  wife,  Nancy  Hash,  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina P'eb.  11,  1790,  died  Oct.  7,  1847;  they 
had  ten  children,  of  whom  subject  is  the 
sixth  child.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  member 
of  the  M.  E.  Church.  By  the  death  of  his 
parents  he  inherited  the  old  homestead  farm, 
which  he  sold  to  Mr.  Whitenack  in  1864. 

DAVID  M.  LOGAN,  physician,  Newmans- 
ville;  was  born  in  Belmont  County,  Ohio, 
Jan.  4,  1821.  In  1836  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  this  county;  they  located  on  the 
Sangamon  bottom,  near  Boardstown,  and 
engaged  in  farming.     James  Logan,  subject's 


350 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


father,  was  born  in  Huntington  County,  Pa. 
The  family  is  of  Irish  descent,  and  some  of 
the  ancestry  came  to  America  in  1775.  Emma 
Collins  Logan,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was 
a  descendant  of  the  Tillinghast,  Collins  and 
Green  families,  of  Rhode  Island.  She  was 
the  mother  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  the 
doctor  is  the  fourth.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  he  began  teaching  in  the  Beardstown 
schools;  the  principal  part  of  his  educa- 
tion was  obtained  in  the  literary  department 
of  the  Illinois  College;  he  attended  his  first 
course  of  lectures  in  the  Medical  department 
of  that  institution.  In  1857  he  graduated  at 
the  St.  Louis  Medical  College,  receiving 
his  diploma  as  an  M.  D.,  and  immediately 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
Newmansville,  where  he  has  since  remained. 
He  married  in  this  county,  Jan.  20, 1858,  Miss 
Rebecca  W.  Hamilton,  who  was  born  in  Lou- 
doun County,  Va.,  June  "/.O,  1830;  they  have 
si.x  children,  viz.:  Sally,  Edwin  M.,  Emma, 
Stella,  Charles  C.  and  Agnes;  the  two  latter  de- 
ceased. Mrs.  Logan  is  a  daughter  of  Charles 
B.  and  Sarah  C.  (Lucket)  Hamilton,  natives  of 
Loudoun  County,  Va.;  he  deceased;  she  is 
still  living.  Dr.  Logan  was  at  one  time  a 
member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F;  he  is  a  Republican. 
WILLIAM  W.  MAT  HEW,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Newmansville;  is  a  native  of  this  count}-; 
born  Oct.  7,  1814;  eldest  child  of  a  family  of 
nine,  born  to  Lewis  C.  and  Rebecca  (Conyers) 
Mathew;  he,  a  farmer,  born  in  Indiana,  Nov. 
28,  1820,  died  Jan.  14,  1863;  she,  born  in 
Kentucky,  Aug.  18,  1825.  Subject,  at  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  enlisted  in  Co.  "  F,"  71st 
Ills.  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Capt.  Weaver, 
the  regiment  being  commanded  by  Col.  Gil- 
bert; was  in  the  100  days'  service,  and  after 
four  months  returned  home.  When  twenty- 
three  years  of  age  he  began  farming  on  his 
own  account,  and  now  conducts  a  farm  of  ISO 
acres  of  choice  farm  land,  on  which,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  usual  grain    crops,   he  raises  large 


numbers  of  cattle  and  hogs  for  market;  he 
built  a  fine  house  in  1875;  has  also  a  fin  s 
barn.  He  has  been  twice  married;  first,  in 
this  county,  Sept.  5, 1867,  to  Alice  Hurie,  who 
was  born  in  1851,  and  died  March  11,  1871, 
leaving  one  child,  Lewis  L.;  the  last  mar- 
riage was  on  March  23,  1876,  to  Louise  L. 
Robinson;  born  in  Linn  County,  Iowa,  June 
11,  1858,  daughter  of  Andrew  D.  and  Eliza- 
beth Ellen  (Wactle)  Ro'iinson;  from  this 
marriage  one  child  has  been  born,  viz.:  Inez 
R.  Mr.  Mathew  is  a  Democrat;  he  is  a  Master 
Mason. 

WILLIAM  E.  MILSTEAD,  farmer,  de- 
ceased; was  born  in  Kentucky,  Feb.  25,  1829; 
son  of  Edward  and  Mary  N.  (Hinchee)  Mil- 
stead,  natives  of  Virginia;  he,  a  shoemaker  by 
tr:ide,  died  about  1871;  she  died  about  1870. 
Subject  was  the  fifth  child  of  a  family  of  thir- 
teen, and  came  to  Morgan  County,  Ills.,  with 
his  parents,  when  fourteen  years  old,  and  soon 
after  to  this  county.  He  settled  on  the  place 
where  his  widow  now  resides,  in  1858,  and,  at 
his  death,  which  occurred  Sept.  6,  1872,  had 
over  500  acres  under  cultivation,  on  which  he 
had  erected  a  fine  farm  residence,  and  made 
all  the  other  imp  ovements.  He  married  in 
this  county,  Oct.  28,  1855,  Ellen  Struble;  born 
Feb.  23,  1838,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Sarah 
(Stout)  Struble,  and  from  this  union  ten  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  eight  of  whom  are  living: 
Sarah  L.,  James  W.,  Philemon,  Jacob  D., 
Alfred  S.,  George  E.,  Laura,  Florence,  Ella, 
and  Martha.  Since  his  death  his  widow  and 
children  have  man  iged  the  farm  on  which  the 
usual  farm  crops  are  raised;  and  in  addition 
they,  feed  all  kinds  of  stock,  of  which  they 
handle  a  large  amount.  Mr.  Milstead  was  a 
suppo,  ter  of  the  Democratic  party. 

C.  S.  MATHEW,  M.  D.,  Newmansville; 
is  a  native  of  Menard  Co.,  111.;  born  Feb. 
25,  1851;  son  of  Lewis  C.  and  Rebecca 
(Conyers)  Mathew.  Lewis  C.  Mathew,  sub- 
ject's fatJier,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  a  farmer 


>.  .     i^l: 


If 


OREGON  PRECINCT. 


353 


by  occupation,  was  born  Nov.  28,  1820,  and 
died  Jan.  l-i,  1863;  his  wife,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, was  born  Aug.  IS,  1825.  Our  subject 
pursued  the  study  of  his  profession  in  the 
medical  department  of  the  University  of  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich.,  two  years,  and  at  the  medical 
college  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  one  year;  prac- 
ticed medicine  in  connection  with  Dr.  Hough- 
ton, of  Mason  County,  III.,  for  a  time;  re- 
ceived his  diploma  in  1879,  and  located  at 
Newmansville,  where  he  has  built  up  an  ex- 
tensive and  rapidly  increasing  practice.  The 
Doctor  is  a  Democrat;  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  lodge  at  Petersburg,  Menard  Coun- 
ty,  111. 

ALEXANDER  NEWMAN,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  is  a  native  of  this  county;  born  May 
29,  1857;  son  of  Robert  and  Sarah  E.  (Man- 
gis)  Newman,  natives  of  Virginia;  he,  a  far- 
mer, residing  in  this  county,  she  died  about 
1860,  leaving  two  children,  Alexander  and 
Sarah  Ann,  wife  of  Thomas  Workman,  of  Vir- 
ginia. Our  subject  received  an  ordinary 
education,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years 
began  farming  on  his  own  account,  and  has 
since  pursued  that  occupation;  he  has  a  well 
cultivated  farm  of  ninety  acres,  on  which  he 
raises  the  usual  crops.  In  this  county  Oct. 
29,  1878,  he  married  Ellen  Cunningham,  a 
native  of  this  county,  born  Dec.  24,  1857; 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Euphemia  (Wilkey) 
Cunningham,  residents  of  this  county;  two 
children  have  been  born  from  this  union,  viz.: 
Mary  and  Florence.  Mr.  Newman  is  a  Re- 
publican. 

ALEXANDER  ROBISON,  blacksmith, 
Newmansville;  was  born  in  Hamilton  Co., 
Ohio,  June  25, 1838,  son  of  Cuthbert  and  Jane 
Ann  (Bawser)  Robison.  Cuthbert  Robison, 
subject's  father,  was  born  in  Hamilton  Co., 
Ohio,  Aug.  20,  1808  ;  was  a  blacksmitii  by 
trade,  came  to  this  county  in  the  fall  of  1856, 
and  died  in  Virginia,  this  county,  July  6, 
1864.     His  wife,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 


died  Nov.  5,  1858.  Our  subject,  the  second 
childof  a  family  of  nine,  received  his  education 
at  Mount  Pleasant,  Ohio,  and  came  with  his 
parents  to  this  county  in  1856;  worked  on  the 
farm  two  years,  and  in  1858  was  apprenticed  to 
the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Virginia,  this  county. 
In  August,  1866,  he  came  to  Newmansville, 
where  he  started  a  blacksmith  shop  on  his  own 
account,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  that 
business,  doing  a  good  trade.  He  married  in 
this  county,  Sept.  29,  1860,  Martha  J.  Joyce, 
born  in  Butler  County,  O.,  March  22,  1840, 
daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Hughes) 
Joyce,  natives  of  Ohio,  both  deceased.  From 
this  union  they  have  had  three  children,  viz.: 
James  W.,  Josephine,  and  .Jessie  A.  Mr. 
Robison  is  Postmaster  at  Newmansville;  has 
held  that  position  ten  years;  has  been  Town- 
ship Trustee  eleven  years,  and  has  served  the 
county  as  Magistrate  about  eighteen  years. 
He  is  an  adherent  of  the  Democratic  party. 

WILLIAM  WATKINS,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Berryton  ;  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  111., 
July  17,  1831;  son  of  Elijah  and  Lydia  A. 
(Montgomery)  Watkins  ;  residents  of  Rich- 
mond township,  this  county.  Elijah  Wat- 
kins,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  July  23,  1797;  his  wife,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Kentucky,  was  born  April  25,  1802; 
of  their  fifteen  children  William  is  the  eighth 
child.  Our  subject,  when  about  four  years  of 
age,  was  brouglit  by  his  parents  to  this  county, 
where  he  received  his  education  in  the  sub- 
scription schools  common  in  those  days. 
When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  left  home 
and  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  and 
has  since  followed  that  occupation.  He  mar- 
ried in  this  county  Oct.  23,  1853,  Margaret 
Hinchee;  born  Feb.  28, 1827.  She  died,  leav- 
ing seven  children,  as  follows  :  Charles  W., 
William  T.,  Elijah,  Margaret,  Lydia  A.,  Al- 
bert, and  Minnie  B.  His  second  marriage  took 
place  Sept.  1,  1881,  when  he  married  Belle 
Gordley,  born  in  Adams  County,    111.,   May 


354 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


5,  1850.  She  has  taught  school  in  this  county 
about  eleven  years ;  she  is  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Sidney  (Stephenson)  Gordley, 
natives  of  Kentucky,  he  dying  in  June,  1856, 
she  in  Septqmber,  1859.  Mr.  Watkins  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Church  ;  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

WILLIAM  WYATT,  farmer;  P.  O.,  New- 
mansville ;  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Ky., 
Feb.  22,  1828.  When  two  years  of  age  he 
was  brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents,  who 
located  in  Morgan  County,  on  what  was  once 
called  "Golden  Prairie;"  in_1846  they  came  to 
Newmansville,  and  five  years  later  moved  to 
the  I  present  residence  of  A.  E.  Wyatt.  Our 
subject's  parents,  James  and  Sarah  (Stephen- 
son) Wyatt  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  and  had 
five  children:  Walter,  deceased;  John  M.,  de- 
ceased; Andrew  E.;  William,  and  Elizabeth 


Jane,  wife  of  Hugh  Sherrer,  of  Lincoln,  Lo- 
gan County,  111.  William  moved  to  his  pres- 
ent place  of  residence  about  the  year  1851; 
he  has  made  a  success  of  the  stock  business, 
in  which  he  engages  quite  extensively.  He 
married  in  this  cuuiity,  i\pril  27, 1851,  Nancy 
Jane  Nance;  born  in  Green  County,  Ky.,  .Tune 
13,  1836,  who  has  borne  him  four  children: 
John  Hardin,  born  April  26,  1852,  died  May 
21, 1876;  Fanny,  born  June  26,  1851,  wife  (jf 
Walter  M.  Thompson;  Alice  Mabel,  born 
March  10,  1859,  wife  of  James  Struble,  of 
Newmansville;  and  James  Judy,  born  Jan. 
31, 1862,  at  home.  Mrs.  Wyatt  is  a  daughter 
of  Ottawa  B.  and  Sarah  (Danields)  Nance, 
natives  of  Kentucky;  he,  deceased,  she,  living, 
aged  eighty-four  years,  hale  and  hearty.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wyatt  are  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church;  he  is  a  Republican. 


HICKORY  PRECINCT. 


355 


HICKORY    PRECINCT. 


HENRY  BIERHAUSE,  farmer;  P.  O. 
Virginia;  -was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
Mch.  25,  1831;  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth 
Bierhause;  he,  a  farmer,  and  dying  at  the  age 
of  72  years;  she  is  living,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  80  years;  they  had  seven  children.  Our 
subject  came  to  America  in  1852,  first  settling 
at  St.  Louis,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
coming  to  Cass  County  in  1854,  when  he  be- 
gan farming,  and  now  owns  213  acres  of  ex- 
cellent land,  which  has  been  acquired  by  in- 
dustry and  good  management.  *  In  Cass 
County,  in  1860,  he  married  Annie  Fahel, 
who  has  borne  him  7  children:  Rosie,  Lizzie, 
Harry  H.,  Edward,  Annie,  Milton  and  Lou. 
Is  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  independent  in  politics. 

G.  W.  COOK,  farmer;  P.  O.  Virginia;  is 
a  native  of  this  county;  born  March  22,  1841; 
son  of  James  and  Ann  (Trueman)  Cook. 
James  Cook  was  born  in  Ireland,  about  the 
year  1812;  came  to  America  at  an  early  day 
and  engaged  in  farming;  he  died  about  the 
year  1854;  his  wife,  who  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  died  in  this  county  about  the 
year  1804;  they  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children.  Mr.  Cook  received  an  ordinary 
education,  and  began  life  as  a  farmer,  which 
occupation  he  still  pursues,  and  now  owns  110 
acres  of  land.  In  18(35  he  married  Mary 
Quick,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1847,  daugh- 
ter of  Oakey  and  Sarah  (Osborn)  Quick.  He 
is  a  Greenbacker. 

JACOB  HOUCK,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chandler- 
ville;  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County, 
Penn.,  July  31,  1827,  son  of  Jacob  and  Eliza- 
beth (Pooruian)  Houck;  he  is  a  native  of 
Northampton  County,  Pa.,  who  went  to  Ohio 
in    1838,    came   to   Cass   in  18j2,  and    from 


there  went  to  Nebraska,  where  he  died  in 
1871;  his  wife  following  him  in  1875,  at  the 
age  of  80  years;  they  had  nine  children,  our 
subject  being  the  sixth.  At  the  age  of  21,  our 
subject  began  farming,  and  has  so  well  suc- 
ceeded, thanks  to  his  thrift  and  perseverance, 
that  he  now  owns  293  acres  of  choice  land, 
all  under  good  improvement.  He  also  raises 
stock.  In  1858,  he  married  Rosanna  Plaster, 
born  in  Tennessee,  March  15,  1836,  daughter 
of  James  and  Nancy  (Chamblis)  Plaster,  and 
two  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Bessie 
and'Harry.     He  is  a  Greenbacker. 

ALVEY  HORROM,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chand- 
lerville;  was  born  in  Dearborn  County,  Ind., 
Jan.  14,  1824;  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah 
(Austin)  Horrom;  he  is  a  native  of  Maine, 
and  she  of  Massachusetts,  who  came  to  Cass 
County  in  1829,  he  dying  in  1847,  aged  70 
years,  and  she  in  1863,  aged  82  years;  they 
had  nine  children,  Alvey  being  the  youngest. 
Our  subject  owns  250  acres  of  fine  land,  which 
he  farms  in  the  best  manner.  He  has  been 
married  twice,  but  both  wives  are  dead;  the 
first  was  Nancy  Adams,  and  the  second  Annie 
Goodpauster.  His  children  are:  Melinda,  A. 
E.,  William,  Lyman,  Ray  and  Grace.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Greenback  party. 

THOMAS  KNIGHT,  farmer;  P.  O.  Beards- 
town;  is  a  native  of  England,  born  in  Corn- 
wall, Aug.  14,  1836;  son  of  Thomas  K.  and 
Elizabeth  (Bellace)  Knight,  who  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children.  His  father  was 
also  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  and  fol- 
lowed the  cooper's  trade  there  till  he  came  to 
the  United  States,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing; he  died  in  1806.  Thomas  attended 
school  in  England,  and  afterward  in  the 
schools  here  for  some  time,  and  began  life  as 


356 


BIOGRAPATCAL  SKETCHES. 


a  farmer  here,  on  the  Sangamon  Bottom,  and 
has  since  followed  farming.  He  was  married 
in  Beardstown  Precinct,  this  county,  Oct.  27, 
1859,  to  Emeline  D.  Haywood;  born  in  Corn- 
wall, England,  Oct.  27,  1838;  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Mary  Haywood;  and  by  this  union 
nine  children  have  been  born:  May  (deceas- 
ea),  Robert,  Minnie,  Mjrrtle,  Albert  J.,  Harry 
(deceased),  Lloyd,  Edwin,  and  an  infant,  de- 
ceased (unnarned).  Mr.  Knight  was  County 
Commissioner  three  years,  in  1879-'80-'81;  he 
is  a  Democrat. 

ARCHIBALD  TAYLOR,  farmer;  P.  O., 
Chaudlerville;  was  born  in  Scotland,  .July  2, 
1806;  son  of  Robert  and  Miza  (McCoig)  Tay- 
lor, both  natives  of  Scotland;  he  died  in  1819 
and  she  in  1845;  they  had  nine  children,  our 
subject  being  the  fourth.  Archibald  was  raised 
to  farming,  and  also  learned  the  trade  of  a 
weaver,  at  which  he  worked  considerable  in 
his  native  country,  but  after  coming  to  Amer- 
ica has  followed  farming,  owning  at  the  pres- 
ent time  700  acres  of  land,  which  is  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  His  first  purchase  was 
100  acres,  to  which  he  has  added  until  he  has 
accumulated  his  fine  estate.  He  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  all  matters  of  im- 
provement of  his  precinct  and  county. 

ROBERT  TAYLOR,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chan- 
dlerville;  was  born  in  Scotland,  Nov.  25, 1810; 
son  of  Robert  and  Miza  (McCoig)  Taylor, 
both  natives  of  Scotland;  he,  dying  in  1819, 
and  she,  in  1815.  Our  subject  came  to  Ameri- 
ca in  1835,  and  located  in  Champaign  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  four  years;  then 
came  to  Cass.  In  1842  he  purchased  the 
land  he  now  resides  upon,  and  engaged  in 
general  farming  and  stock  dealing.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  Trustees  of  the  township,  hold- 
ing the  position  several  years.  Jan.  10, 1844, 
he  married  Miss  Janet  Cunningham;  born  in 
Scotland  in  1824;  daughter  of  .John  and  Ellen 
(Taylor)  Cunningham,  and  is  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  all  living:  Ellen,  Angus,  John 


W.,  Flora,  ^laggie,  Miza,  Alice,  Archibald, 
Duncan,  Katie,  Janie,  and  Robert.  Is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church, 
and  independent  in  politics. 

CALVIN  WILSON,  farmer;  P.  O.  Chaud- 
lerville; was  born  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  Aug. 
24,  1828;  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Wil- 
liams) Wilson;  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
who  were  the  parents  of  nine  childron,  our 
subject,  Calvin,  bemg  the  third  son;  who,  after 
receiving  an  ordinary  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  section,  began  farming. 
He  has  followed  his  chosen  occupation  in  this 
county  since  1849,  having  acquired  his  fine 
property  of  243  acres  of  excellant  land,  with 
all  its  improvements,  by  his  own  industry 
and  energy.  May  25,  1853,  he  married  Miss 
Amanda  M.  Bowen ;  born  in  Cass  County,  May 
1,  1831;  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Bowen,  who 
came  to  Cass  County  in  1829;  he  died  in  1859. 
Mr.  Wilson  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children:  Dessa  M.,  widow  of  J.  O.  Horrom, 
Frank,  Annie  B.,  Herschel,  Faver  C,  Mamie 
M.,  and  Earle.  He  is  an  A.,  F.  and  A.  M., 
and  a  Democrat. 

JOSEPH  ZIEGELMEIER,  farmer;  P. 
O.  Virginia;  was  born  in  Germany,  Nov.  5, 
1821;  son  of  Futus  and  Barbara  (Biller)  Zie- 
gelmeier,  both  natives  of  Germany;  he,  a 
miller  by  occupation,  dying  in  1875,  aged 
about  eighty  years;  and  she  dying  in  1877, 
at  about  the  same  age;  they  were  the  parents 
of  sixteen  children,  Joseph  being  the  old- 
est. Our  subject,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  in  Germany,  was  drafted  into  the  army, 
where  he  served  about  five  years,  and  in  1848 
emigrated  to  this  country,  landing  in  New 
York.  He  first  settled  in  Cincinnati,  where 
he  remained  two  years,  working  at  the 
coopering  trade.  In  1850,  he  removed  to 
Cass  County,  and  began  the  coopering  busi- 
ness in  Beardstown,  remaining  there  two 
years,  when  he  removed  to  his  present  resi- 
dence, and  began  farming  upon  eighty  acresfl 


HICKORY  PRECINCT. 


357 


of  land,  which  he  bought,  since  ad  ling  to  the 
same  till  his  farm  comprises  295  acres.  June 
14,  1849,  in  Cincinnati,  he  married  Katrina 
Nemiller,  a  native  of  Prussia,  by  whom  he 


has  had  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living:  Lewis,  Peter,  Caroline,  Barbara, 
Mary,  Lucy. 


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